구주대망 2012년 선교적 삶을 사는 해 마지막 주일 칼럼을 쓰는 지금, 바깥세상은 하얀 눈으로 뒤덮여 있습니다. 올해 들어 실질적인 첫눈인데 폭설입니다. 다행히 오후 3시를 넘어서면서 내리는 눈을 그치고 날씨가 포근한 탓으로 녹기도 합니다. 내일은 토요일인데 밤에는 또 눈이 내린다는 예보가 있으니 벌써부터 주일예배에 나갈 일이 걱정이 됩니다. 시골에 사는 것은 그 나름의 특별한 즐거움이 있는 만큼 이처럼 남다른 걱정도 해야 합니다. 공평하신 하나님께서 공평한 처우를 하신다고 생각합니다.
그래도 저는 시골생활이 좋습니다. 오늘처럼 눈이 와서 여러 가지 바깥 스케줄이 취소되기도 하지만 자주 있는 일도 아니고 그것도 나름 유익 한 결과를 낳기 때문입니다. 취소된 스케줄은 7시 광역 새생명 훈련원 이사회를 필두로, 아내는 10시 사모구역모임에 나가지 못했고(뒤에 들린 소식은 구역모임은 어린 아이들을 데리고 올 상황이 못되어 모임 자체가 취소되었다고 합니다.), 그리고 오후에는 동강병원 심장내과에 정기진료를 받으러가는 일, 그리고 제 주치의인 남혜주 의원에 가서 당뇨 진료와 처방을 받는 일도, 그리고 극동방송에 가서 녹음하는 토요칼럼도 모두 취소되었습니다.
그러나 부득불 외부 스케줄을 접어두고 따뜻한 서재 책상에 앉아서 하루 종일 창밖으로 하얀 눈을 바라보며 먼저 심방결재를 하면서 위하여 기도하고 때론 문자를 주고받는 일을 할 수 있었습니다. 그리고는 제가 하는 주 사역인 설교들, 올해 마지막 주일설교를 마무리하고 주일오후에 하게 될 은퇴감사예배 설교와 곧 바로 이어서 화요일에 가질 신정하례예배를 위한 설교를 준비하는 일, 그리고 칼럼은 한 주간에 두 편을 써야 하는 1+1축제에다가, 설교로 말하면 1+2축제에다가 월요일부터 들어갈 특별기도회까지 합하면 1+2+5축제가 폭설처럼 임한 날입니다.
하긴 폭설로 인해서 시간을 벌 수 있었으니 이런 일들을 다 감당할 수 있었지 만약 날이 좋았더라면 그 여러 가지 사역 만이었겠습니까? 새로 준비한 자전거를 끌고 밖으로 나가고 싶진 않았겠습니까? 정말 감사한 것은 눈으로 인해서 토요일 오후 운구부 산행이 연기된 것입니다. 그러면 내일 적어도 5시간을 번다는 것을 의미합니다. 2시 반에 만나서 산행을 하고 저녁을 함께 하면 7시 반까지 돌아오는 것도 쉽잖을 수도 있기 때문입니다. 그 시간을 모두 특별기도회 준비를 위해서 사용할 수 있으니 갑작스런 많은 눈이 내린 것도 제게는 특별한 감사의 조건이 됩니다. 흐린 하늘이 하얀 눈이 쌓인 땅과 아름다운 조화를 이루는 오후입니다. 눈이 덮인 시골 마을, 큰 마실 안집 뜰이 참 아름답습니다. 혼자 보기에는 아깝기도 하고요^^
As I write this final Sunday column for the Year of Grace 2012—Living a Missional Life—the outside world is covered in pristine white snow. It is virtually our first snow of the year, and it has turned out to be a heavy snowfall. Fortunately, past three in the afternoon, the snowfall ceased, and with the mild temperature, it has begun to melt. Tomorrow is Saturday, and with another forecast of snow for tomorrow night, I already find myself worrying about making it out to Sunday service. Living in the countryside offers its own special joys, but it demands just as unique a set of concerns. I believe our fair and just God always maintains a wonderful balance.
Even so, I love country life. Although a snowy day like today forces us to cancel various outside schedules, it does not happen often, and in its own way, it yields fruitful results. Among the canceled plans, beginning with the 7:00 a.m. Metropolitan New Life Training Institute board meeting, my wife could not attend her 10:00 a.m. pastors' wives cell group meeting (I later heard the meeting itself was called off because mothers could not safely bring their young children along). In the afternoon, my regular check-up at Donggang Hospital's cardiology department, an appointment with my primary physician at Nam Hye-joo Clinic for diabetes care and prescription refills, and a recording session for the Saturday column at Far East Broadcasting were all canceled.
Having to set aside my outside schedule, however, I sat comfortably at my warm study desk all day long, gazing out the window at the white snow. I could review visitation reports, pray for our flock, and exchange thoughtful text messages. Then came my primary ministry—preparing sermons: putting the finishing touches on this year’s final Sunday morning sermon, preparing the message for Sunday afternoon's retirement thanksgiving service, and working on the sermon for Tuesday’s New Year greeting service. Added to this was a "1+1 festival" of having to write two columns in a single week, a "1+2 festival" in terms of preaching, and when counting the upcoming special morning prayer meetings starting Monday, it felt like a "1+2+5 festival" of ministry poured down upon me just like the heavy snow.
Come to think of it, because the heavy snow granted me this time, I could manage all these responsibilities. Had the weather been fair, would I have stuck solely to those many ministry tasks? Wouldn't I have felt the urge to take my newly tuned bicycle out for a ride? I am truly grateful that the pallbearers' Saturday afternoon mountain hike has been postponed due to the snow. That means I will gain at least five extra hours tomorrow. Meeting at 2:30 p.m. for a mountain hike followed by dinner together usually makes it difficult to return before 7:30 p.m. Since I can dedicate all that time to preparing for the special prayer meetings, this sudden heavy snowfall has become a distinct cause for thanksgiving. It is an afternoon where the overcast sky harmonizes beautifully with the snow-covered ground. The snow-draped rural village and the inner courtyard of our quiet countryside home are truly breathtaking—almost too lovely to enjoy all by myself! ^^
Terwyl ek hierdie laaste Sondagrubriek vir die Genadejaar 2012—'n Jaar van 'n Missionêre Lewe—skryf, lê die buitewêreld bedek onder 'n wit kombers van sneeu. Dit is eintlik ons eerste regte sneeu van die jaar, en dit het in 'n hewige sneeuval ontaard. Gelukkig het die sneeu ná drie-uur vanmiddag opgehou, en danksy die gematigde weer het dit reeds begin smelt. Môre is Saterdag, en aangesien daar vir môreaand weer sneeu voorspel word, begin ek my reeds bekommer oor hoe ons by die Sondagdiens gaan uitkom. Om op die platteland te woon bring sy eie unieke vreugdes mee, maar dit verg ook sy eie besondere sorge. Ek glo dat ons regverdige God altyd 'n volmaakte balans handhaaf.
Nogtans is ek baie lief vir die plaaslewe. Al veroorsaak 'n sneeudag soos vandag dat verskeie buite-afsprake gekanselleer word, gebeur dit nie dikwels nie, en dit lewer op sy eie manier heilsame vrugte op. Onder die gekanselleerde planne, beginnende met die 07:00-bestuursvergadering van die Metropolitaanse Nuwe Lewe Opleidingsinstituut, kon my vrou nie haar 10:00-predikantsvroue-wyksbyeenkoms bywoon nie (ek het later verneem dat die byeenkoms self afgestel is omdat ma's nie hul jong kinders veilig kon saambring nie). My roetine-ondersoek by die Donggang-hospitaal se kardiologie-afdeling die middag, my afspraak by my huisdokter by die Nam Hye-joo-kliniek vir suikersiektetoetse en voorskrifte, asook die opname van die Saterdagrubriek by Far East Broadcasting is alles gekanselleer.
Aangesien ek my buite-afsprake noodgedwonge moes laat vaar, kon ek die hele dag by my warm lessenaar in die studeerkamer sit, by die venster uitstaar na die wit sneeu, huisbesoekverslae hersien, vir die gemeentelede bid en bemoedigende teksboodskappe stuur. Daarna kon ek my toespits op my primêre bediening—die prediking: die afronding van vanjaar se laaste Sondagoggendpreek, die voorbereiding van die preek vir die aftree-dankdiens Sondagmiddag, asook die boodskap vir die Nuwejaarsgroetediens op Dinsdag. Daarby moes twee rubrieke in een week geskryf word—'n ware "1+1-fees", 'n "1+2-fees" wat die preke betref, en as 'n mens die spesiale bidure wat Maandag begin byreken, het 'n "1+2+5-fees" van bediening net soos die swaar sneeu oor my uitgesak.
Nou ja, aangesien die swaar sneeu my ekstra tyd gegun het, kon ek al hierdie take behartig. As die weer mooi was, sou ek myself werklik net tot hierdie menigvuldige bedieningswerk kon beperk het? Sou ek nie in die versoeking gekom het om my nuut voorbereide fiets na buite te stoot vir 'n rit nie? Ek is opreg dankbaar dat die draersvereniging se bergstap Saterdagmiddag weens die sneeu uitgestel is. Dit beteken dat ek môre minstens vyf uur sal wen. As ons om 14:30 bymekaarkom om bergklim te gaan en daarna saam te eet, sou dit immers moeilik gewees het om voor 19:30 terug te wees. Omdat ek al daardie tyd kan benut om vir die spesiale bidure voor te berei, het hierdie onverwagse hewige sneeu vir my 'n besondere rede tot dankbaarheid geword. Dit is 'n middag waarin die bewolkte hemel en die wit, sneeubedekte aarde in pragtige harmonie saamsmelt. Die rustige, sneeubedekte plattelandse dorpie en die binnehof van ons ruim tuiste is asemrowend mooi—byna te kosbaar om net alleen te aanskou! ^^