In the early 19th century, a young Christian missionary named Adoniram Judson embarked on a journey that would forever change the spiritual landscape of Burma.

Judson, the first foreign minister to travel to Burma, faced immense suffering and hardship throughout his mission.

The American’s story is a testament to the enduring power of faith and the transformative light of the Gospel.

Judson’s journey was fraught with challenges. He and his family endured persecution, imprisonment and the heart-wrenching loss of loved ones.

Wrongly presumed to be a spy, Judson was imprisoned in Burma, and he faced periods of widowhood and a lack of converts.

Despite these trials, Judson remained dedicated to his mission for decades, translating the Bible into Burmese and establishing the first Baptist mission in Burma.

The verse from John 1:5, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it,” perfectly encapsulates Judson’s legacy.

This verse highlights the power of God’s word as a life-giving light that penetrates a world characterised by sin, ignorance and hardship.

Judson’s unwavering faith and resilience in the face of immense darkness serve as a powerful example of this enduring truth.

In 1812, Judson set sail from America as one of the first missionaries commissioned for overseas work. His path was not easy.

He battled illness, faced cultural and linguistic barriers, and endured years of imprisonment during the Anglo-Burmese war where he suffered cruel treatment.

At other times, Judson's life was marked by crushing loss — he buried children and endured the death of his beloved wife, Ann.

The shadows pressed heavily against him.

Yet, just as John’s Gospel assures, the darkness did not overcome the light.

Judson's tireless devotion to translating the Bible into Burmese opened the way for millions to read God’s Word in their own tongue.

His translation is still used today, a lamp shining across generations.

In the dungeons where Judson was shackled, hope seemed extinguished, but even there, Christ’s light flickered unquenchably.

His resilience became a testimony to the Burmese people that the God he preached was real — not merely in words, but in sustaining grace.

Two hundred years later, the fruit of his labours remains.

Today, Myanmar has one of the largest Christian populations in south-east Asia, many tracing their faith back to Judson’s witness.

In every age, John 1:5 rings true: the darkness may threaten, but it cannot conquer. Judson’s life assures us that God’s light does more than survive — it transforms, it breaks chains and it endures.

Like Judson, we too are called to bear witness, carrying light into whatever corners of darkness we encounter.

For wherever Christ shines, no shadow — no sorrow, no opposition — can prevail.

Pastor Samuel Jacob

Lifesource Church, Echuca

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Wednesday, 23rd June 2027

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