지난 주 금요일로서 종강예배를 드리고 여름 방학이 시작된 교정에는 학우들의 목소리는 사라졌지만 그 공간을 채우기라도 하듯이 각종 새들의 노래소리가 하루 종일 가득합니다. 철새 오리가 에스라의 연못에 아홉개의 알은 낳은 것을 확인한 것은 지난 6월 3일입니다. 그 후에는 연못 가까이 사람들이 접근하지 못하도록 폴리스라인 같은 줄을 이중으로 설치했습니다. 어미오리가 알을 품은지 오늘로 3주간이 가까워지고 있습니다. 달걀은 부화하는데 3주간, 오리알은 4주간 걸린다니 알을 깨고 나올 오리새끼를 보려면 아직도 열흘은 남았습니다. 산책을 하다가 가끔 멀리서 연산홍 틈으로 연못쪽을 내려다보면, 어미가 앉아있는 것을 확인합니다. 자세를 바꾸어 가며 끈질기게 알을 품고 앉아 있는 어미 오리의 모습을 보며 생각이 깊어졌습니다.
에스라 교정에서 새로운 생명에 대한 기다림은, 단지 아홉 개의 알로부터 새끼 오리가 나오는 것이 전부가 아닙니다. 거기에는 이제 방학을 하고 집으로, 일터로 돌아간 학우들의 새로운 모습도 포함될 것입니다. 병아리는 3주의 기다림이, 오리새끼는 4주간의 기다림이 필요하지만 하나님이 에스라 성경대학원 대학교에 보낸 학우들이 새로운 모습으로 성숙해지는 것은 1학기 15주간, 2학기 15주간이면 된다는 예측이 허락되질 않습니다. 사람은 오묘한 존재이고, 더욱이 사람의 영혼이 성숙한 모습으로 변화하는 것은 신비의 영역에 속한 일입니다. 그것을 확인하는 일조차 간단하지 않습니다. 주님의 말씀이 기억납니다. “너는 바람 부는 소리는 듣지만, 그 바람이 어디서부터 와서 어디로 가는지는 알지 못한다. 성령으로 다시 태어나는 모든 사람도 이와 같다.”(요 3:8, 쉬운성경)
지난 3월 1일 개학을 해서 6월 18일 종강을 하기까지, 코로나 팬데믹 상황 속에서도, 대면수업을 할 수 있었던 것은, 하늘 아버지의 감싸주심, 품어주심이었다고 감사의 고백을 하고 싶습니다. 그동안 모든 교직원과 학생들의 두 차례의 코로나 검사도 있었고, 시에서 방역점검도 있었습니다. 하지만 모범적인 방역지침을 준수하고 있다고 칭찬을 받을 만큼 에스라는 건강한 공동체를 유지했습니다. 이전에는 2인 1실을 사용하던 기숙사도 1인 1실로 운영하고, 식사조차도 배식할 때 거리를 유지하고 음식을 그릇에 담을 때는 비닐 장갑을 끼고 각자가 아크릴 가림막을 한 1인 1식탁에서 식사를 한 덕분이기도 합니다. 게다가 긴장이 풀리지 않도록 광고를 하는 일에 지치지 않는 학생처장님의 노고도 기억합니다. 무엇보다도 학교 안에서는 모두가 마스크를 하고 지내는 인내가 있었기 때문에 가능했습니다.
이제 여름 방학동안 연못가의 보금자리에서 알을 품고 있는 어미오리처럼 인내하는 마음으로 학우들의 영혼을 품고 기도하는 일을 하고 싶습니다. 그 일을 잘 하기 위해서, 방학을 하자마자 며칠 전부터 <에스라 교직원 기도방>을 다시 열었습니다. 본래는 한 달에 한 번씩 가동되던 방이지만, 방학이니까 이제는 날마다 기도방 창문을 활짝 열고 싶습니다. “이번 방학동안 교직원 묵상나눔방이 활성화 되길 기도합니다 에스라의 말씀사랑과, 말씀대로 살아내기가 날마다 확인되기를 원합니다^^ ‘철이 철을 날카롭게 하듯이’ 서로 돌아보는 에스라의 여름이길 바랍니다^^” “미련함보다 무서운 것은 교만이다’ 평생 마음에 담고 살아야 할 말씀인 것 같습니다. 좋은 성찰과 나눔의 말씀 감사합니다^^” ‘스스로 지혜자처럼 생각하면서 말할 때가 많이 있는데 … 말하기보다는 듣는 훈련을 하기를 기도합니다’ 땅이 혼돈하고 공허하며 흑암이 깊음 위에 있고 하나님의 영은 수면 위에 <운행하시니라>는 단어는 바로 성령께서 혼돈의 세상을 품고 있었다고 볼 수 있습니다. 그리하여 빛, 질서, 생명이 충만한 세상이 되었듯이, 에스라 교직원이 여름방학동안 학우들을 품게 될 때 아름다운 에스라로 변모할 것입니다.
With the end-of-semester chapel service held last Friday and summer vacation having officially begun, the lively voices of students have faded from the campus. Yet, as if stepping in to fill the quiet void, the songs of various birds resound all day long. It was back on June 3rd that we discovered a wild duck had laid nine eggs near the pond at Ezra. Since then, double boundary lines, much like police tape, were put in place to keep people from approaching the pond. Today marks nearly three weeks since the mother duck began brooding her eggs. Chickens take three weeks to hatch, but ducks are said to take four weeks; hence, it will still take about ten more days before we can see the ducklings break out of their shells. When taking a stroll, I occasionally look down toward the pond from afar through the Korean azalea bushes and spot the mother duck faithfully sitting there. Watching her endure with unwavering patience, shifting her posture now and then while brooding over her eggs, has led me into deep reflection.
The anticipation of new life on Ezra's campus is not merely about ducklings hatching from nine eggs. It also encompasses the renewed transformation of our students, who have now returned home and to their workplaces for the vacation. While chicks require a wait of three weeks and ducklings four weeks, we cannot simply predict that the students God has sent to Ezra Bible Graduate University will mature into new vessels after merely fifteen weeks in the first semester and fifteen weeks in the second. Human beings are profoundly intricate, and above all, the transformation and maturing of a human soul belongs to the realm of mystery. Even discerning that growth is by no means simple. I am reminded of our Lord's words: “The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” (John 3:8)
From the start of the semester on March 1st to its conclusion on June 18th, being able to conduct in-person classes amidst the COVID-19 pandemic was, I gratefully confess, entirely due to our Heavenly Father sheltering and embracing us under His wings. During this time, all faculty, staff, and students underwent COVID-19 testing twice, and municipal disease-control inspections were carried out as well. Nevertheless, Ezra maintained a healthy community, even receiving praise for exemplary adherence to quarantine guidelines. This was made possible because dormitories that used to house two per room were converted to single occupancy, meals were served with safe distancing and vinyl gloves when plating food, and each person dined at single tables fitted with acrylic partitions. Furthermore, I gratefully remember the tireless efforts of the Dean of Student Affairs, who continually made announcements so that vigilance would not wane. Above all, it was made possible by everyone's quiet patience in consistently wearing masks while on campus.
Now, during this summer break, like the mother duck sitting patiently in her nest beside the pond, I wish to embrace the souls of our students with enduring prayer. To carry this out faithfully, we reopened the <Ezra Faculty & Staff Prayer Room> a few days ago, right after the vacation began. Originally, this prayer room was gathered once a month, but since it is vacation, I want to open the windows of this prayer room wide every single day. “I pray that the faculty and staff meditation sharing room will flourish during this vacation. May Ezra's love for the Word and our living out of the Word be confirmed day by day ^^ May it be a summer at Ezra where we look after one another, ‘as iron sharpens iron’ ^^” “'What is more dreadful than foolishness is pride.' I believe these words are something to carry in our hearts for a lifetime. Thank you for this wonderful reflection and message ^^” “There are so many times when I speak as though I were wise . . . I pray for the discipline to listen rather than to speak.” The words describing how the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was over the waters, can truly be understood as the Holy Spirit brooding over and embracing a chaotic world. Just as that brooding brought forth a world filled with light, order, and life, so Ezra will be transformed into an even more beautiful community as its faculty and staff lovingly brood over and embrace our students in prayer throughout this summer break.
Noudat ons verlede Vrydag die afsluitingsdiens van die semester gehou het en die somervakansie aangebreek het, het die stemme van studente op die kampus stil geword. Tog, asof om daardie leë ruimte te vul, weerklink die vrolike gesang van verskillende voëls heeldag lank. Dit was op 3 Junie dat ons agtergekom het dat 'n wilde eend nege eiers by Ezra se dam gelê het. Sedertdien het ons dubbele afsperringsbande, soos polisielyne, gespan om te keer dat mense te naby aan die dam kom. Vandag is dit al byna drie weke sedert die moedereend op haar eiers begin broei het. Hoendereiers neem drie weke om uit te broei, maar eendeiers neem blykbaar vier weke; daarom lê daar nog sowat tien dae voor voordat ons die kuikens uit hul doppe sal sien breek. Wanneer ek gaan stap en af en toe van ver af tussen die Koreaanse asaleas deur na die dam kyk, sien ek hoe die moedereend getrou daar sit. Terwyl ek aanskou hoe sy geduldig van houding verwissel en volhardend bly sit om haar eiers te koester, het diep gedagtes in my opgekom.
Die verwagting van nuwe lewe op Ezra se kampus behels immers veel meer as net eendjies wat uit nege eiers te voorskyn kom. Dit sluit ook die vernuwende gedaanteverwisseling in van ons studente wat nou vir die vakansie huistoe en na hul werkplekke teruggekeer het. Terwyl hoenderkuikens drie weke se wag vereis en eendjies vier weke, kan ons nie bloot voorspel dat die studente wat God na Ezra Bybelse Nagraadse Universiteit gestuur het, binne slegs vyftien weke in die eerste semester en vyftien weke in die tweede semester tot volwassenheid sal groei nie. Die mens is 'n wondere skepping, en boonop behoort die verandering en verdieping van 'n mens se siel tot die ryk van die geheimenis. Selfs om daardie groei vas te stel, is geensins eenvoudig nie. Ek word herinner aan die Here se woorde: “Die wind waai waar hy wil. Jy hoor sy geluid, maar jy weet nie waar hy vandaan kom en waar hy heen gaan nie. So is dit met elkeen wat uit die Gees gebore is.” (Joh. 3:8)
Van die opening van die semester op 1 Maart tot die afsluiting op 18 Junie, kon ons te midde van die korona-pandemie steeds aangesig-tot-aangesig-klasse aanbied. Ek wil met dankbaarheid bely dat dit te danke was aan die Vader in die hemel wat ons onder Sy vleuels beskut en gekoester het. Gedurende hierdie tydperk het alle personeel en studente twee keer koronatoetse ondergaan, en daar was ook gesondheidsinspeksies van die stadsraad. Nietemin het Ezra 'n gesonde gemeenskap gehandhaaf, in so 'n mate dat ons lof ontvang het vir ons voorbeeldige nakoming van die inperkingsriglyne. Dit was ook moontlik omdat koshuiskamers wat voorheen deur twee persone gedeel is, as enkelkamers ingerig is; etes is met veilige afstand en plastiekhandskoene bedien; en elkeen het aan 'n individuele tafel met akrielafskortings geëet. Verder dink ek met dankbaarheid aan die onvermoeide ywer van die Dekaan van Studentesake wat voortdurend aankondigings gemaak het sodat die waaksaamheid nie sou verslap nie. Bowenal was dit moontlik danksy almal se stille geduld om deurentyd maskers op kampus te dra.
Nou wil ek gedurende die somervakansie, net soos die moedereend wat met geduld in haar nes langs die dam broei, die siele van ons medestudente met volhardende gebed omarm en koester. Om hierdie taak met toewyding te verrig, het ons 'n paar dae gelede, net toe die vakansie begin het, die heropen. Oorspronklik het hierdie gebedsgroep een keer per maand byeengekom, maar noudat dit vakansie is, wil ek die vensters van die gebedskamer elke dag wyd oophou. “Ek bid dat die personeel se oordenking- en deelkamer gedurende hierdie vakansie lewendig sal wees. Mag Ezra se liefde vir die Woord en die uitleef daarvan daagliks bevestig word ^^ Mag dit 'n somer by Ezra wees waar ons na mekaar omsien, ‘soos yster yster slyp’ ^^” “'Wat vreesliker is as dwaasheid, is hoogmoed.' Dit is voorwaar woorde wat 'n mens 'n lewe lank in die hart moet bewaar. Baie dankie vir hierdie kosbare besinning en bemoediging ^^” “Daar is soveel kere wat ek praat asof ek wys is . . . Ek bid om eerder te leer luister as om te praat.” Die woorde dat die aarde woes en leeg was, dat duisternis op die wêreldvloed was, en dat die Gees van God oor die waters het, kan gesien word as die Heilige Gees wat die chaotiese wêreld gekoester en omarm het. Net soos dit 'n wêreld vol lig, orde en lewe voortgebring het, sal Ezra in 'n pragtige gemeenskap omskep word wanneer ons personeel ons studente gedurende hierdie somervakansie biddend in liefde koester.