지난 주일 밤에는 ‘말씀을 사모하는 해’다운 대단한 출발을 했습니다. 주일 낮 예배 시간에 일어서서 세미나 기간 동안 헌신하기로 한 결단을 지켜주신 성도님들께 감사를 드립니다. 정말 약속을 지킨 여러분 때문에 행복한 밤이었습니다. ‘어? 성경이 읽어지네!’ 세미나는 첫 날밤 1,500명이 참석해서 그동안 제가 기억하는 한 제일 많은 성도들이 참석한 밤 집회 시간이었습니다. 구름떼처럼 몰려와서 본당 2, 3, 4층은 물론이고 쉴만한 물가, 영아부실 할 것 없이 공간마다 가득한 가히 만선의 기쁨을 안겨준 출발이었습니다.
저녁 7시부터 밤 11시까지 계속된 세미나를 인도한 이애실 사모님의 거룩한 열정은 감동적이었습니다. 순결한 신부로 하나님의 교회를 세워가고자 하는 거룩한 열정을 가지고 헌신했습니다. 첫날 밤 식탁에 함께, 그것도 간단히 샌드위치와 다과로 준비했는데도 차 외엔 과일도 드시지 않고 오직 강의에 집중한 모습은 정말 감동적이었습니다. 밤 11시가 넘어 6층 숙소에 올라가셔서 비로소 저녁식사를 준비해서 드셨다는 후문입니다. 그러다보면 새벽 1시가 넘어야 잠자리에 들 수 있었을 것이고 여차하면 함께 온 전도사님들과 밤중 강의도 불사하셨다고 합니다. 마치 제자들을 따로 데리고 비유로 가르치신 말씀을 풀어주시던 주님 안에 있던 열정을 기억나게 합니다.
그 선생님의 그 제자라고 저녁 7시부터 밤 11시까지 마치 재수생이나 고시생처럼 초롱초롱한 눈빛으로 듣고 있는 성도님들도 대단했습니다. 물론 지난 한 주간은 새벽형 인간 수난시대라고 부를 수 있습니다. 새벽 형일수록 밤 9시 뉴스 끝나면 더 이상 버털 수 없는 체력적 한계를 갖고 있는데 그 늦은 시간에 두 번째 강의를 거침없이 시작하는 강사와 보조를 맞춘다고 정말 수고하였습니다. 그런데도 불구하고 밤 11시가 넘은 시간 교회당을 나서면서 얼굴에 미소를 띠고 환한 웃음을 나누는 분들은 정말 대단한 분들입니다.
새해 첫 주간부터 말씀을 가까이 할 수 있는 좋은 세미나를 허락하신 하나님의 위대한 계획에 우리 모두 찬송과 감사를 드리길 원합니다. 말씀의 문이 열리면 기도의 내용이 달라질 것입니다. 우리의 기도가 달라지면 우리의 삶이 달라집니다. 더 이상 큰 아파트로 옮기고 그 할부금 갚는 것이 인생의 목표가 아니라 이 세상에 우리 주 하나님과 그리스도의 나라를 세우는 일에 동참하는 원대한 목표를 품게 될 것입니다. 바알과 아세라로 대표되는 세상 가운데 한 분 하나님만 섬기기로 결단하는 한 해가 되길 소원합니다. 이제부터 4월까지 최소한 구약성경 1독을 향해서 우리 모두 출발합시다. 아자^^
Last Sunday night marked a magnificent beginning worthy of our ‘Year of Longing for the Word.’ I express my heartfelt gratitude to the congregation members who stood during the Sunday morning worship service, pledging to commit themselves throughout the seminar, and kept that resolution faithfully. It was truly a night of deep joy because of everyone who honored their promise. The seminar, titled ‘Huh? The Bible Makes Sense Now!’, gathered 1,500 attendees on its opening night—making it, as far as I can recall, our largest evening gathering ever. Crowds gathered like rolling clouds, filling not only the second, third, and fourth floors of the main sanctuary, but also the Quiet Waters lounge and the infant care room. Every corner was overflowing, giving us the sheer delight of a boat laden with a bountiful catch.
The holy passion of Mrs. Aeshil Lee, who led the seminar from 7:00 PM until 11:00 PM each night, moved our hearts deeply. She poured herself out with a sacred devotion to build up God’s church as a pure and spotless bride. Even when we shared a light table of simple sandwiches and refreshments on the opening night, she touched nothing but tea—passing even on the fruit—to stay entirely focused on the teaching. We later heard that she only prepared and ate dinner after heading up to her guest quarters on the sixth floor past 11:00 PM. That meant she could hardly turn in before 1:00 AM, and if needed, she wouldn't hesitate to continue deep discussions into the middle of the night with the accompanying ministry directors. Her dedication brought to mind the very heart of our Lord, who would take His disciples aside privately to open up and explain the parables.
Like teacher, like disciples—our congregation was just as remarkable, sitting intently from 7:00 PM until 11:00 PM with sparkling, focused eyes, much like students preparing for major national examinations. To be sure, this past week could rightly be called an ‘ordeal for morning larks.’ Early risers typically reach their physical limit right around the end of the nine o'clock news. Yet, our people labored tirelessly to keep pace with the speaker, who unhesitatingly launched right into her second lecture at that late hour. Even so, seeing our members leave the sanctuary past 11:00 PM with radiant smiles and warm laughter showed just how truly extraordinary they are.
May we all offer our praise and thanks for God’s grand design in granting us such a wonderful seminar to draw near to His Word from the very first week of the new year. When the doors of the Word are opened, the content of our prayers begins to transform. And when our prayers are transformed, our entire lives change. Our life’s goal will no longer be merely moving into a larger apartment and paying off mortgage installments; instead, we will embrace the grand vision of partnering in the building of the kingdom of our Lord God and His Christ in this world. I pray that this will be a year in which we resolve to worship the one true God amidst a world epitomized by Baal and Asherah. From now until April, let us all set forth to read through the entire Old Testament at least once. Press on! ^^
Verlede Sondagaand was ’n luisterryke begin, waarlik waardig vir ons ‘Jaar van Verlange na die Woord.’ Ek wil my hartlike dank betuig aan die gemeentelede wat tydens die oggenddiens opgestaan het om hul toewyding aan die seminaar te bevestig, en daardie besluit so getrou nagekom het. Dit was inderdaad ’n aand van vreugde danksy almal wat hul belofte gehou het. Die seminaar, getiteld ‘Hê? Die Bybel Maak Nou Sin!’, het op die eerste aand 1 500 bywoners gelok—sover ek kan onthou, ons grootste aandaanbidding nog ooit. Die mense het soos ’n wolkestroom saamgestroom en nie net die tweede, derde en vierde verdieping van die hoofheiligdom gevul nie, maar ook die ‘Rustige Waters’-rusarea en die babakamer. Elke liewe hoekie was stampvol, wat ons die ongekende vreugde van ’n skuit propvol vis besorg het.
Die heilige toewyding van mev. Aeshil Lee, wat die seminaar elke aand van 19:00 tot 23:00 gelei het, het ons diep geraak. Sy het haarself gegee met ’n vurige begeerte om God se gemeente as ’n rein bruid op te bou. Selfs toe ons die eerste aand aan ’n eenvoudige tafel met toebroodjies en verversings gesit het, het sy behalwe tee nie eers aan die vrugte geraak nie, bloot om haar aandag volkome op die onderrig te vestig. Ons het later verneem dat sy eers ná 23:00 na haar gastekamer op die sesde verdieping gegaan het om aandete voor te berei en te eet. Dit beteken dat sy skaars voor 01:00 kon gaan slaap het, en indien nodig, het sy nie gehuiwer om middernagtelike besprekings met die meegaande bedienaars voort te sit nie. Dit het ons laat dink aan die passie van ons Here self, wat Sy dissipels opsy geneem het om die gelykenisse aan hulle te verduidelik.
Soos die leermeester, so die leerlinge—ons gemeentelede was net so merkwaardig; hulle het van 19:00 tot 23:00 met helder, aandagtige oë gesit en luister, net soos studente wat vir strawwe nasionale eksamens voorberei. Om die waarheid te sê, kan die afgelope week met reg ’n ‘beproewingstyd vir oggendmense’ genoem word. Vroeë opstaners bereik gewoonlik hul fisieke perke sodra die nuus om nege-uur saans verby is. Tog het ons mense onvermoeid volgehou om tred te hou met die spreker, wat sonder huiwering op daardie laat uur met haar tweede lesing begin het. Om dan te sien hoe ons mense ná 23:00 die kerkgebou verlaat met stralende gesigte en warm glimlagte, wys net hoe waarlik besonder hulle is.
Mag ons almal lof en dank bring vir God se grootse plan om ons met so ’n kosbare seminaar te seën, sodat ons van die heel eerste week van die nuwe jaar af naby aan Sy Woord kan leef. Wanneer die deure van die Woord oopgaan, verander die inhoud van ons gebede. En wanneer ons gebede verander, verander ons hele lewe. Dit sal nie meer ons lewensdoel wees om bloot na ’n groter woonstel te trek en die paaiemente af te betaal nie; ons sal eerder die verhewe roeping omhels om saam te bou aan die koninkryk van ons Here God en Sy Christus in hierdie wêreld. Dit is my innige gebed dat dit ’n jaar sal wees waarin ons vasbeslote kies om slegs die enige ware God te dien te midde van ’n wêreld wat deur Baäl en Asera gekenmerk word. Laat ons almal van nou af tot April aanpak om die hele Ou Testament ten minste een keer deur te lees. Komaan! ^^