As was customary on Fridays, I went to the church to attend the youth group Friday evening Bible study. My class of senior high school girls had for the most part gone on a short-term mission trip to Peru and I was not sure if anybody would come. But I prepared for a Bible study and went to the church.
To my surprise, there was one student. It was a new girl, who had recently come over from Korea to study in the States. She did not speak English well, but was willing to study the Bible with me one-on-one. When we began the study, it became immediately obvious that she hadn't done this before. She did not know where the Gospel of John was in the Bible. She freely admitted that she did not know. I abandoned the original study plan and decided that we needed to talk about something more fundamental and more important to her.
We read from Psalm 19. We talked about how God has revealed Himself to man -- in His creation and in His Word. We talked about man's sin and alienation from God, about God's redemptive works through Jesus Christ, and how one can be saved by believing in Jesus. Then I asked her if she would be willing to ask God for forgiveness of her sins on account of Jesus. She said yes -- that was the most joyful sound I heard in a long time. We prayed together, with me giving her the words to say and her repeating after me. But it was her prayer of confessing her belief in the Lord Jesus and in her own redemption through Him. I am absolutely sure that God heard her prayer and has accepted her into His family. We then read John 3:16 and I Corinthians 15 and talked about eternal life and our hope of resurrection. She seemed to absorb all of that like a sponge and with childlike trust.
Though I have been a Christian all my life, I have not been diligent about sharing my faith with others. The last person I brought to Jesus was my deskmate in junior high. More than 35 years have passed since then, until today I had one more chance with someone who walked into the church on her own and, with no persuasion from me, was moved by the Holy Spirit to accept the Lord as her Redeemer.
Lord, all praises and honor are lifted up to you. You alone are holy and mighty. You love us so much and have done this great work of redeeming the girl. Thank you, Lord. Hallelujah. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Friday, August 6, 2010
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Rejoice in the Lord Always
In the Old Testament days, there were festivals during which all Israelites were to present themselves before the Lord "at the place He will choose as a dwelling for His name" and rejoice (Deuteronomy 16:1-17) -- the Feast of the Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Tabernacles. Now the Lord dwells within us as the Holy Spirit (I Corinthians 6:19) and we are commanded to "rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!" (Philippians 4:4). Rejoice always, not just at times of festivals.
It is important to note that this commandment to rejoice in the Lord always was written in Paul's epistle to the church at Philippi. In Acts 16, we read about Paul and Silas being imprisoned in Philippi by false accusations of the owners of a fortune-telling slave girl that Paul and Silas liberated from the evil spirits. While in prison, they prayed and SANG HYMNS to the Lord. An earthquake followed and the prison doors all opened up. When the jailer tried to commit suicide, he was stopped by Paul and Silas and was then introduced to the gospel, he and his household. Thus began the church at Philippi. The Macedonian church at Philippi suffered from "extreme poverty" and "the most severe trial", but with overflowing joy, they gave richly and generously to support Paul's mission (II Corinthians 8:1-5). In writing to this remarkable church, Paul was in prison again in Rome (Philippians 1:12-14). Writing in the direst situations to a church suffering greatly from a trial and poverty, Paul admonishes to "rejoice in the Lord always." In fact, the word "joy" or "rejoice" is mentioned no less than 13 times in the epistle. Likewise, the Thessalonian church received the gospel message with joy despite a severe suffering (I Thessalonians 1:6).
In fact, our Lord Jesus commanded us to rejoice in times of persecution and false accusation on account of His name (Matthew 5:11-12). Paul's message to the other churches was the same -- to rejoice in times of suffering (Romans 5:3, Colossians 1:24), as was the message of other apostles (James 1:2, I Peter 1:6, 4:13). We are to rejoice, even when we face hardships and trials.
This is possible, because our joy does not depend on the circumstances we find ourselves in. Our joy is from within. Our joy is a gift of the Holy Spirit (I Thessalonians 1:6), a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22). The joy given by the Holy Spirit dwelling in us is not like the joy of the world, which is transient and is here one time and then is gone the next. It is like a spring of water that wells up within us, so that whoever drinks it will never thirst (John 4:13-14), since the Holy Spirit is the living water that flows from within (John 7:37-39).
"I've got joy like a fountain.
I've got joy like a fountain.
I've got joy like a fountain in my soul, Hallelujah!
I've got joy like a fountain.
I've got joy like a fountain.
I've got joy like a fountain in my soul."
(youtube version in Korean: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGt2X_1OQd0)
It is important to note that this commandment to rejoice in the Lord always was written in Paul's epistle to the church at Philippi. In Acts 16, we read about Paul and Silas being imprisoned in Philippi by false accusations of the owners of a fortune-telling slave girl that Paul and Silas liberated from the evil spirits. While in prison, they prayed and SANG HYMNS to the Lord. An earthquake followed and the prison doors all opened up. When the jailer tried to commit suicide, he was stopped by Paul and Silas and was then introduced to the gospel, he and his household. Thus began the church at Philippi. The Macedonian church at Philippi suffered from "extreme poverty" and "the most severe trial", but with overflowing joy, they gave richly and generously to support Paul's mission (II Corinthians 8:1-5). In writing to this remarkable church, Paul was in prison again in Rome (Philippians 1:12-14). Writing in the direst situations to a church suffering greatly from a trial and poverty, Paul admonishes to "rejoice in the Lord always." In fact, the word "joy" or "rejoice" is mentioned no less than 13 times in the epistle. Likewise, the Thessalonian church received the gospel message with joy despite a severe suffering (I Thessalonians 1:6).
In fact, our Lord Jesus commanded us to rejoice in times of persecution and false accusation on account of His name (Matthew 5:11-12). Paul's message to the other churches was the same -- to rejoice in times of suffering (Romans 5:3, Colossians 1:24), as was the message of other apostles (James 1:2, I Peter 1:6, 4:13). We are to rejoice, even when we face hardships and trials.
This is possible, because our joy does not depend on the circumstances we find ourselves in. Our joy is from within. Our joy is a gift of the Holy Spirit (I Thessalonians 1:6), a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22). The joy given by the Holy Spirit dwelling in us is not like the joy of the world, which is transient and is here one time and then is gone the next. It is like a spring of water that wells up within us, so that whoever drinks it will never thirst (John 4:13-14), since the Holy Spirit is the living water that flows from within (John 7:37-39).
"I've got joy like a fountain.
I've got joy like a fountain.
I've got joy like a fountain in my soul, Hallelujah!
I've got joy like a fountain.
I've got joy like a fountain.
I've got joy like a fountain in my soul."
(youtube version in Korean: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGt2X_1OQd0)
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Song of ascents
Last Sunday, I came to the emergency room with a chest pain, which was a harbinger of a relatively massive heart attack. I had a STEMI (ST-elevation myocardial infarction) in the territory of the heart supplied by the left anterior descending artery. Even though my wife drove me to the hospital without a prior call to the hospital, there was a team of people who worked expeditiously as if they were waiting for me to come in. They placed stents in the artery to open up the blockage and a balloon pump to ease the work of my heart. Working through these good people, God saved me and extended my life.
For a while, I could not even sit up. I laid helplessly and could only entrust those around me. Even though I wanted to, I could not go to the church to worship and praise the Lord.
From Psalm 120 on, there are several psalms that are labeled as Songs of Ascents. Jerusalem is sitting on a mountain plateau and surrounded by valleys and (dry) river beds. So to go to the temple, one had to ascend or climb up. The songs of ascents are songs sung as one went up to the temple.
Having been in bed against my wishes and unable to ascend to the place of worship, I can appreciate all the more how precious the hour of worship is in the company of fellow believers. There is nothing more valuable than to know the Lord intimately and praise His holy Name.
My Father, my Lord.
You have given me a breath to sing your praises;
therefore, I will sing your mercy, grace, and salvation.
You have given me eyes to see and shed tears;
therefore, I will shed your tears of mercy and long to see you and the world from your perspective.
You have given me ears to hear;
therefore, I will hear the words of blessing and accept them with faith and obedience.
You have given me a mouth to speak;
therefore, I will use it to utter and actively share my faith, so that I may have a full understanding of every good thing I have in Christ (Philemon 1:6).
You have given me a mind to think;
therefore, I will seek to think your thoughts.
You have given me a heart, a new heart;
therefore, I want to feel your feelings and cry out to you, you who turn your ears to me (Psalm 116:2).
In Christ, you have made me a new creation. Let me now live a life as a new creation. Fill me with your presence. I want to be ever so intimate with you. Amen.
For a while, I could not even sit up. I laid helplessly and could only entrust those around me. Even though I wanted to, I could not go to the church to worship and praise the Lord.
From Psalm 120 on, there are several psalms that are labeled as Songs of Ascents. Jerusalem is sitting on a mountain plateau and surrounded by valleys and (dry) river beds. So to go to the temple, one had to ascend or climb up. The songs of ascents are songs sung as one went up to the temple.
Having been in bed against my wishes and unable to ascend to the place of worship, I can appreciate all the more how precious the hour of worship is in the company of fellow believers. There is nothing more valuable than to know the Lord intimately and praise His holy Name.
My Father, my Lord.
You have given me a breath to sing your praises;
therefore, I will sing your mercy, grace, and salvation.
You have given me eyes to see and shed tears;
therefore, I will shed your tears of mercy and long to see you and the world from your perspective.
You have given me ears to hear;
therefore, I will hear the words of blessing and accept them with faith and obedience.
You have given me a mouth to speak;
therefore, I will use it to utter and actively share my faith, so that I may have a full understanding of every good thing I have in Christ (Philemon 1:6).
You have given me a mind to think;
therefore, I will seek to think your thoughts.
You have given me a heart, a new heart;
therefore, I want to feel your feelings and cry out to you, you who turn your ears to me (Psalm 116:2).
In Christ, you have made me a new creation. Let me now live a life as a new creation. Fill me with your presence. I want to be ever so intimate with you. Amen.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Open wide your mouth ... (Psalm 81:10)
Last night I attended what was (for me) an unusual Good Friday service. Certainly the message was about the death of Christ. On the cross, Jesus declared "It is finished (τετελεσται)" (John 19:30). Jesus accomplished all that is necessary not only for my salvation, but also for my freedom from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:1). It is time for me to repent of my sins and live a life full of the Holy Spirit. The service was unusual in that it ended with the congregation praying individually, freely and audibly until each was satisfied with the grace from the Lord, without there being a set ending.
As I prayed in response to the message, my prayers were two-fold.
First, I prayed for forgiveness of my sins, as I recollected them -- the sins that I had not hitherto confessed. This was not to repent again of the same sins that I had previously confessed. For Jesus declared as He washed His disciples' feet, "A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean." (John 13:10). Then I went on to pray for the sins of my family, my town and city, my nation (USA), and my people (Koreans of North and South Korea).
Second, I prayed for my total transformation. I wanted to be after God's heart, pleasing Him, just as David was. I prayed that my eyes will be focused on the kingdom of heaven and, when looking at the world, be filled with God's tears; that Jesus' heart will be transplanted into me, so that I may feel the same way as He does; that whatever I see, hear, smell, think, and do may be in accordance with His will; that the Spirit of wisdom and revelation will fill me, so that I may know the hope of my calling, the riches of my inheritance, and the power that raised Jesus from death. I prayed to be filled with the character of the Holy Spirit, armed with the full armor of God, bearing the fruit of the Holy Spirit, and empowered with the power of the Holy Spirit.
What is it to have God's tears in my eyes and feel the same way as Jesus? I remembered that in Romans 8:34, it is written that Jesus sitting at the right hand of God is interceding for us. The Spirit Himself also intercedes for us, with groans that words cannot express (Romans 8:26) If I am to feel the same way as Jesus, I should be grieving and praying for all the peoples and nations going down the path of destruction and damnation, without knowing the true Savior, Jesus Christ. In praying intercessory prayers, I wanted to embrace not only the city of Columbus, the state of Ohio, or the nation of the United States, but also the world and the people in it. I was opening my mouth wide, in the sense of Psalm 81:10.
Praise the Lord, for His mercy is endless and enduring.
Praise the Lord, for He has awakened me to pray in the morning.
Praise the Lord, for He reminds me to pray in the evening.
Praise the Lord, for He is not ashamed to call me His own and fill me with His Spirit of revelation and wisdom.
Praise the Lord, for He gives me a heart to grieve for the dying souls.
Praise the Lord, for He gives me a heart to offer up prayers of intercession.
Praise Him on earth! Praise Him in the highest! Amen.
As I prayed in response to the message, my prayers were two-fold.
First, I prayed for forgiveness of my sins, as I recollected them -- the sins that I had not hitherto confessed. This was not to repent again of the same sins that I had previously confessed. For Jesus declared as He washed His disciples' feet, "A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean." (John 13:10). Then I went on to pray for the sins of my family, my town and city, my nation (USA), and my people (Koreans of North and South Korea).
Second, I prayed for my total transformation. I wanted to be after God's heart, pleasing Him, just as David was. I prayed that my eyes will be focused on the kingdom of heaven and, when looking at the world, be filled with God's tears; that Jesus' heart will be transplanted into me, so that I may feel the same way as He does; that whatever I see, hear, smell, think, and do may be in accordance with His will; that the Spirit of wisdom and revelation will fill me, so that I may know the hope of my calling, the riches of my inheritance, and the power that raised Jesus from death. I prayed to be filled with the character of the Holy Spirit, armed with the full armor of God, bearing the fruit of the Holy Spirit, and empowered with the power of the Holy Spirit.
What is it to have God's tears in my eyes and feel the same way as Jesus? I remembered that in Romans 8:34, it is written that Jesus sitting at the right hand of God is interceding for us. The Spirit Himself also intercedes for us, with groans that words cannot express (Romans 8:26) If I am to feel the same way as Jesus, I should be grieving and praying for all the peoples and nations going down the path of destruction and damnation, without knowing the true Savior, Jesus Christ. In praying intercessory prayers, I wanted to embrace not only the city of Columbus, the state of Ohio, or the nation of the United States, but also the world and the people in it. I was opening my mouth wide, in the sense of Psalm 81:10.
Praise the Lord, for His mercy is endless and enduring.
Praise the Lord, for He has awakened me to pray in the morning.
Praise the Lord, for He reminds me to pray in the evening.
Praise the Lord, for He is not ashamed to call me His own and fill me with His Spirit of revelation and wisdom.
Praise the Lord, for He gives me a heart to grieve for the dying souls.
Praise the Lord, for He gives me a heart to offer up prayers of intercession.
Praise Him on earth! Praise Him in the highest! Amen.
Friday, February 19, 2010
The precious blood of Christ
[Bible verses]
I Peter 1:19-20
For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.
I John 1:7
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
Hebrews 13:12
And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood.
Ephesians 2:13
But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.
Hebrews 9:14
How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!
John 6:54
Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.
[My reflections]
Haggling in the market used to be a common scene in local markets when I was growing up in Korea. A lady may go to a clothing store and argue vehemently how one can charge such a high price for such a low quality dress. She is just saying things so that she can get as low a price as possible. But once she buys it and wears it, she wears it as if it were the most expensive, highest quality product imported from Italy or some such country known for high-quality clothing. If she had to pay a truly high price, she would be all the more proud of her dress.
When God our Father redeemed us, I don't think He was going for bargains at all. He chose to pay the full price by letting His Only Begotten Son Jesus Christ shed His precious blood on the cross. As Jesus died, He said, "it is finished" (John 19:30), meaning "it is paid in full." With Jesus' blood that is more precious than all the world, all the creation, God chose to redeem our lives.
Because God paid such a high price to redeem us, there is no way that He is going to let go of us. Our redemption is totally assured and is at no risk of being lost, because nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:38-39). In fact, He put a seal on us, marking us as His own, and the seal is the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13-14). The Holy Spirit is our guarantee of our redemption and inheritance in the kingdom of God (Ephesians 1:14). All the rich glories of the heavenly kingdom have been assured to be given to us as inheritance, because of the precious blood of Jesus.
"O Precious is the flow that makes me white as snow;
No other fount I know, nothing but the blood of Jesus.
What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
For my cleansing this I see -- Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
FOr my pardon this my plea -- Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
Nothing can for sin atone -- Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
Naught of good that I have done -- Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
This is all my hope and peace -- Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
This is all my righteousness -- Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
Glory! Glory! thus I sing -- Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
All my praise for this I bring -- Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
O Precious is the flow that makes me white as snow;
No other found I know, Nothing but the blood of Jesus." (Robert Lowry, 1876)
I Peter 1:19-20
For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.
I John 1:7
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
Hebrews 13:12
And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood.
Ephesians 2:13
But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.
Hebrews 9:14
How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!
John 6:54
Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.
[My reflections]
Haggling in the market used to be a common scene in local markets when I was growing up in Korea. A lady may go to a clothing store and argue vehemently how one can charge such a high price for such a low quality dress. She is just saying things so that she can get as low a price as possible. But once she buys it and wears it, she wears it as if it were the most expensive, highest quality product imported from Italy or some such country known for high-quality clothing. If she had to pay a truly high price, she would be all the more proud of her dress.
When God our Father redeemed us, I don't think He was going for bargains at all. He chose to pay the full price by letting His Only Begotten Son Jesus Christ shed His precious blood on the cross. As Jesus died, He said, "it is finished" (John 19:30), meaning "it is paid in full." With Jesus' blood that is more precious than all the world, all the creation, God chose to redeem our lives.
Because God paid such a high price to redeem us, there is no way that He is going to let go of us. Our redemption is totally assured and is at no risk of being lost, because nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:38-39). In fact, He put a seal on us, marking us as His own, and the seal is the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13-14). The Holy Spirit is our guarantee of our redemption and inheritance in the kingdom of God (Ephesians 1:14). All the rich glories of the heavenly kingdom have been assured to be given to us as inheritance, because of the precious blood of Jesus.
"O Precious is the flow that makes me white as snow;
No other fount I know, nothing but the blood of Jesus.
What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
For my cleansing this I see -- Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
FOr my pardon this my plea -- Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
Nothing can for sin atone -- Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
Naught of good that I have done -- Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
This is all my hope and peace -- Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
This is all my righteousness -- Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
Glory! Glory! thus I sing -- Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
All my praise for this I bring -- Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
O Precious is the flow that makes me white as snow;
No other found I know, Nothing but the blood of Jesus." (Robert Lowry, 1876)
Thursday, February 11, 2010
God's tears?
The anthem that the choir will sing this Sunday has the following phrase:
아버지 당신의 마음이 있는 곳에 나의 마음이 있기를 원해요
아버지 당신의 눈물이 고인 곳에 나의 눈물이 고이길 원해요
Roughly translated, the phrase goes like this:
Father, where your heart is, I want my heart to be as well.
Father, where your tears are welling up, I want my tears to well up as well.
My initial reaction as I was singing this song in practice was one of being taken back. Does our Father God shed tears? Even figuratively, I could not recall any recording of that. I was not sure if there is any Bible reference on God the Father either shedding tears or weeping.
The closest reference to God the Father weeping that I could find was in Micah 1. In speaking of the sin and judgement of Samaria and Jerusalem, the Lord says "I will wail and weep" because "her wound is incurable; it has come to Judah." (verses 8 & 9) Because of their sin, God must pour out His wrath and judgment on Samaria and Judgment, but at the same time He is weeping about it. Even though the Lord is merciful and "patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance" (II Peter 3:9), He is also just and has a predetermined day of judgment for those unrelenting, unrepenting souls. He will judge the quick and the dead, as we affirm in the Apostle's creed.
In the same vein, Jesus also wept in Luke 19, verses 41-44. As Jesus was entering Jerusalem, He looked ahead to the days when not one stone will be left on another and the city will be utterly destroyed. As He spoke of the destruction of the city, Jesus wept visibly. He lamented that the city would be destroyed "because you did not recognize the time of God's coming to you."
If I am singing a prayer that where Father's tears are welling up, I want my tears to well up as well, I am singing of my heartache and my lamentation that many of my fellow human beings are going down the path of destruction. I am singing of my prayer that I will look toward them with compassion, that I will take my footsteps to deliver a message of repentance and redemption to them, and that I lay myself down to be used as a tool of God the Father to fulfill His will in any way He sees fit.
Father, my heart goes out to my brethren in North Korea. Father, as newborns are suffocated and buried alive when born to mothers of concentration camps, as children and elderly die of starvation, as the misguided soldiers worship a man as their god -- as the whole nation is going down a path of destruction, I think you are wailing and weeping. Extend your mercy to that desolate land. Let redemption and freedom come to that patch of a peninsula. Bless the NK Reconstruction initiave of WCNF. Let me keep my vow for NKRF. In Jesus' name. Amen.
아버지 당신의 마음이 있는 곳에 나의 마음이 있기를 원해요
아버지 당신의 눈물이 고인 곳에 나의 눈물이 고이길 원해요
Roughly translated, the phrase goes like this:
Father, where your heart is, I want my heart to be as well.
Father, where your tears are welling up, I want my tears to well up as well.
My initial reaction as I was singing this song in practice was one of being taken back. Does our Father God shed tears? Even figuratively, I could not recall any recording of that. I was not sure if there is any Bible reference on God the Father either shedding tears or weeping.
The closest reference to God the Father weeping that I could find was in Micah 1. In speaking of the sin and judgement of Samaria and Jerusalem, the Lord says "I will wail and weep" because "her wound is incurable; it has come to Judah." (verses 8 & 9) Because of their sin, God must pour out His wrath and judgment on Samaria and Judgment, but at the same time He is weeping about it. Even though the Lord is merciful and "patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance" (II Peter 3:9), He is also just and has a predetermined day of judgment for those unrelenting, unrepenting souls. He will judge the quick and the dead, as we affirm in the Apostle's creed.
In the same vein, Jesus also wept in Luke 19, verses 41-44. As Jesus was entering Jerusalem, He looked ahead to the days when not one stone will be left on another and the city will be utterly destroyed. As He spoke of the destruction of the city, Jesus wept visibly. He lamented that the city would be destroyed "because you did not recognize the time of God's coming to you."
If I am singing a prayer that where Father's tears are welling up, I want my tears to well up as well, I am singing of my heartache and my lamentation that many of my fellow human beings are going down the path of destruction. I am singing of my prayer that I will look toward them with compassion, that I will take my footsteps to deliver a message of repentance and redemption to them, and that I lay myself down to be used as a tool of God the Father to fulfill His will in any way He sees fit.
Father, my heart goes out to my brethren in North Korea. Father, as newborns are suffocated and buried alive when born to mothers of concentration camps, as children and elderly die of starvation, as the misguided soldiers worship a man as their god -- as the whole nation is going down a path of destruction, I think you are wailing and weeping. Extend your mercy to that desolate land. Let redemption and freedom come to that patch of a peninsula. Bless the NK Reconstruction initiave of WCNF. Let me keep my vow for NKRF. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Praising the mighty acts of the Lord, Psalm 106
[Bible verses]
Psalm 106
Praise the LORD. Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever.
Who can proclaim the mighty acts of the LORD or fully declare His praise?
Blessed are they who maintain justice, who constantly do what is right.
Remember me, O LORD, when you show favor to your people, come to my aid when you save them,
that I may enjoy the prosperity of your chosen ones, that I may share in the joy of your nation and join your inheritance in giving praise.
We have sinned, even as our fathers did; we have done wrong and acted wickedly.
When our fathers were in Egypt, they gave no thought to your miracles;
they did not remember your many kindnesses, and they rebelled by the sea, the Red Sea.
Yet He saved them for His name's sake, to make His mighty power known.
He rebuked the Red Sea, and it dried up; He led them through the depths as through a desert.
He saved them from the hand of the foe; from the hand of the enemy He redeemed them.
The waters covered their adversaries; not one of them survived.
Then they believed His promises and sang His praise.
But they soon forgot what He had done and did not wait for His counsel.
In the desert they gave in to their craving; in the wasteland they put God to the test.
So He gave them what they asked for, but sent a wasting disease upon them.
In the camp they grew envious of Moses and of Aaron, who was consecrated to the LORD.
The earth opened up and swallowed Dathan; it buried the company of Abiram.
Fire blazed among their followers; a flame consumed the wicked.
At Horeb they made a calf and worshiped an idol cast from metal.
They exchanged their Glory for an image of a bull, which eats grass.
They forgot the God who saved them, who had done great things in Egypt,
miracles in the land of Ham and awesome deeds by the Red Sea.
So He said He would destroy them— had not Moses, His chosen one, stood in the breach before Him to keep His wrath from destroying them.
Then they despised the pleasant land; they did not believe His promise.
They grumbled in their tents and did not obey the LORD.
So He swore to them with uplifted hand that He would make them fall in the desert,
make their descendants fall among the nations and scatter them throughout the lands.
They yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor and ate sacrifices offered to lifeless gods;
they provoked the LORD to anger by their wicked deeds, and a plague broke out among them.
But Phinehas stood up and intervened, and the plague was checked.
This was credited to him as righteousness for endless generations to come.
By the waters of Meribah they angered the LORD, and trouble came to Moses because of them;
for they rebelled against the Spirit of God, and rash words came from Moses' lips.
They did not destroy the peoples as the LORD had commanded them,
but they mingled with the nations and adopted their customs.
They worshiped their idols, which became a snare to them.
They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons.
They shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan, and the land was desecrated by their blood.
They defiled themselves by what they did; by their deeds they prostituted themselves.
Therefore the LORD was angry with His people and abhorred His inheritance.
He handed them over to the nations, and their foes ruled over them.
Their enemies oppressed them and subjected them to their power.
Many times He delivered them, but they were bent on rebellion and they wasted away in their sin.
But He took note of their distress when He heard their cry;
for their sake He remembered His covenant and out of His great love He relented.
He caused them to be pitied by all who held them captive.
Save us, O LORD our God, and gather us from the nations,
that we may give thanks to your holy name and glory in your praise.
Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting.
Let all the people say, "Amen!" Praise the LORD.
[My reflections]
In this psalm, the psalmist is singing of the "mighty acts of the Lord." This psalm has been lyricized and is often sung by choirs. What are the mighty acts that the psalm is singing about? Without knowing them, one may not be able to sing from the heart.
Of the 48 verses of the psalm, more than 30 verses have been devoted to confess the sins, wrong-doings and wickedness of Israel. The Israelites did not remember how God performed miracles to lead them out of Egypt and rebelled against Him by the Red Sea (v 7). In the desert, they gave in to their craving and put God to the test (v 14). They envied Moses and Aaron, consecrated to the Lord (v 16). They worshiped a golden calf and forgot their true savior, the Lord (v 19-21). They despised the land promised by the Lord and did not trust Him (v 24). They yielded to the gods of pleasure and lust and sinned against the true God (v 28). They rebelled against the Spirit of God (v 33). Instead of destroying the heathen nations as they were commanded to do, they mingled with them and adopted their customs (v 34-36). Yet, in spite of all these, God forgave them time and again for His name's sake and saved them.
The very description of the Israelites is the same description applicable to us, is it not? Although we are utterly unworthy, God forgave us and saved us, with the price of the blood of His own Son (Romans 5:8). Despite having received such an awesome love, do we not time and again doubt the goodness, kindness and mercy of the Lord and habitually exhibit mistrust and unbelief? Instead of fixing our eyes on the kingdom of heaven, do we not take pleasure in the vanities of this world -- cravings of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and boastings of the world (I John 2:16)? Yes, yes, yes, we do all these. Yet, the Lord God still loves us to the end (Romans 8:38-39) and disciplines us as His children (Hebrews 12:5-6), so that we may be on the path of righteousness.
Herein are the mighty acts of the Lord: that despite all our shortcomings, He still loves us and will never forsake us. Herein lies His great love: with patience that considers a thousand years like a day (II Peter 3:8), He waits for us -- like the father waiting for his prodigal son to return (Luke 15:20). My prayer is that, as the psalmist prayed in v 5 of this psalm, I will be among those who join in witnessing and experiencing these mighty acts of the Lord and in praising the joy of being His nation, His people, His children.
Psalm 106
Praise the LORD. Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever.
Who can proclaim the mighty acts of the LORD or fully declare His praise?
Blessed are they who maintain justice, who constantly do what is right.
Remember me, O LORD, when you show favor to your people, come to my aid when you save them,
that I may enjoy the prosperity of your chosen ones, that I may share in the joy of your nation and join your inheritance in giving praise.
We have sinned, even as our fathers did; we have done wrong and acted wickedly.
When our fathers were in Egypt, they gave no thought to your miracles;
they did not remember your many kindnesses, and they rebelled by the sea, the Red Sea.
Yet He saved them for His name's sake, to make His mighty power known.
He rebuked the Red Sea, and it dried up; He led them through the depths as through a desert.
He saved them from the hand of the foe; from the hand of the enemy He redeemed them.
The waters covered their adversaries; not one of them survived.
Then they believed His promises and sang His praise.
But they soon forgot what He had done and did not wait for His counsel.
In the desert they gave in to their craving; in the wasteland they put God to the test.
So He gave them what they asked for, but sent a wasting disease upon them.
In the camp they grew envious of Moses and of Aaron, who was consecrated to the LORD.
The earth opened up and swallowed Dathan; it buried the company of Abiram.
Fire blazed among their followers; a flame consumed the wicked.
At Horeb they made a calf and worshiped an idol cast from metal.
They exchanged their Glory for an image of a bull, which eats grass.
They forgot the God who saved them, who had done great things in Egypt,
miracles in the land of Ham and awesome deeds by the Red Sea.
So He said He would destroy them— had not Moses, His chosen one, stood in the breach before Him to keep His wrath from destroying them.
Then they despised the pleasant land; they did not believe His promise.
They grumbled in their tents and did not obey the LORD.
So He swore to them with uplifted hand that He would make them fall in the desert,
make their descendants fall among the nations and scatter them throughout the lands.
They yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor and ate sacrifices offered to lifeless gods;
they provoked the LORD to anger by their wicked deeds, and a plague broke out among them.
But Phinehas stood up and intervened, and the plague was checked.
This was credited to him as righteousness for endless generations to come.
By the waters of Meribah they angered the LORD, and trouble came to Moses because of them;
for they rebelled against the Spirit of God, and rash words came from Moses' lips.
They did not destroy the peoples as the LORD had commanded them,
but they mingled with the nations and adopted their customs.
They worshiped their idols, which became a snare to them.
They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons.
They shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan, and the land was desecrated by their blood.
They defiled themselves by what they did; by their deeds they prostituted themselves.
Therefore the LORD was angry with His people and abhorred His inheritance.
He handed them over to the nations, and their foes ruled over them.
Their enemies oppressed them and subjected them to their power.
Many times He delivered them, but they were bent on rebellion and they wasted away in their sin.
But He took note of their distress when He heard their cry;
for their sake He remembered His covenant and out of His great love He relented.
He caused them to be pitied by all who held them captive.
Save us, O LORD our God, and gather us from the nations,
that we may give thanks to your holy name and glory in your praise.
Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting.
Let all the people say, "Amen!" Praise the LORD.
[My reflections]
In this psalm, the psalmist is singing of the "mighty acts of the Lord." This psalm has been lyricized and is often sung by choirs. What are the mighty acts that the psalm is singing about? Without knowing them, one may not be able to sing from the heart.
Of the 48 verses of the psalm, more than 30 verses have been devoted to confess the sins, wrong-doings and wickedness of Israel. The Israelites did not remember how God performed miracles to lead them out of Egypt and rebelled against Him by the Red Sea (v 7). In the desert, they gave in to their craving and put God to the test (v 14). They envied Moses and Aaron, consecrated to the Lord (v 16). They worshiped a golden calf and forgot their true savior, the Lord (v 19-21). They despised the land promised by the Lord and did not trust Him (v 24). They yielded to the gods of pleasure and lust and sinned against the true God (v 28). They rebelled against the Spirit of God (v 33). Instead of destroying the heathen nations as they were commanded to do, they mingled with them and adopted their customs (v 34-36). Yet, in spite of all these, God forgave them time and again for His name's sake and saved them.
The very description of the Israelites is the same description applicable to us, is it not? Although we are utterly unworthy, God forgave us and saved us, with the price of the blood of His own Son (Romans 5:8). Despite having received such an awesome love, do we not time and again doubt the goodness, kindness and mercy of the Lord and habitually exhibit mistrust and unbelief? Instead of fixing our eyes on the kingdom of heaven, do we not take pleasure in the vanities of this world -- cravings of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and boastings of the world (I John 2:16)? Yes, yes, yes, we do all these. Yet, the Lord God still loves us to the end (Romans 8:38-39) and disciplines us as His children (Hebrews 12:5-6), so that we may be on the path of righteousness.
Herein are the mighty acts of the Lord: that despite all our shortcomings, He still loves us and will never forsake us. Herein lies His great love: with patience that considers a thousand years like a day (II Peter 3:8), He waits for us -- like the father waiting for his prodigal son to return (Luke 15:20). My prayer is that, as the psalmist prayed in v 5 of this psalm, I will be among those who join in witnessing and experiencing these mighty acts of the Lord and in praising the joy of being His nation, His people, His children.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)