우리 학교의 특장점 하나는 교직원과 학생들뿐만 아니라 심지어 이사들까지, 모든 에스라 식구들이 매일 묵상을 한다는 것입니다. 월요일부터 금요일까지 기숙사에서 생활하는 1학년들은 아침 6시 반에 강당에 나와서 30분 동안 <매일성경>으로 개인묵상을 하고, 7시부터 20분 가량 교수님들이 묵상나눔을 인도하고, 나머지 30분 정도는 소그룹으로 장소를 나누어 서로서로 나눔을 합니다. 누군가는 “삽겹줄 묵상나눔”이라고 하던가요^^ 20분 묵상나눔 인도는 주로 교수들이 돌아가며 하지만, 한 번씩 총장이나 이사장도, 그리고 학기 후반으로 가면 학생들도 인도합니다. 학교 구내에 계시지 않고, 멀리 사는 교수들이나 이사장은 전날 학교에 와서 주무시고 아침 모임에 참석을 합니다. 그것만 보아도 우리 학교가 말씀묵상을 얼마나 중요하게 생각하는지를 짐작할 수 있습니다. 사실 올해 초에 천국가신 설립자 백정란 님은 한 해에 한 두 사람이라도 말씀을 듣고 그 말씀대로 살아내는 사람이 있다면 학교를 세운 보람이 있다고까지 말씀하셨습니다.
일전 어느 화요일에 제가 인도를 할 차례였습니다. 그날 본문은 출애굽기 38장 1~20절이었습니다. 그 본문은 묵상나눔을 인도하기에 너무 막막한, 정말 광야와 같은 느낌으로 처음에는 다가왔습니다. 어쩌면 나를 골탕 먹이려고 이 본문을 맡겼는가 하는 생각이 스쳐갈 정도였습니다. 절대 그럴 리가 없습니다. 인도할 순서를 짤 때, 다른 분들의 편리를 위해서, 신관 교직원 숙소에 살고 있는 나를, 화요일 아침으로 잡아달라고 부탁을 했거든요. 그런데 오죽 막막한 생각이 들었으면 그런 생각까지 들었겠습니까? 하지만 광야도 잘 관찰하면 눈에 들어오는 것이 있습니다. 위로는 하늘도 구름도 보이고, 아래로 땅도 보이며, 자세히 보면 사막이지만 땅에는 잡풀도, 곤충도 보입니다. 그런 마음으로 본문에 접근했을 때 뭔가 아침에 함께 나눌 피크닉(간식) 바구니를 마련할 수 있었습니다.^^
큰 흐름을 보면 출애굽기 35~40장은 성막건축과 완성을 기록하고 있습니다. 각자가 가진 귀한 것을, 기쁜 마음으로 드려서, 하나님의 신에 충만한 사람들, 곧 지혜가 있는 사람들이 각자 맡은 영역에서 최선을 다한 결과로 광야에서도 성막을 완성했습니다. 그날 본문 첫 부분(1~8)은 번제단과 물두멍을 제작하는 법과 둘째 부분(9~20)은 성막 뜰의 울타리 제작방법을 기록하고 있습니다. 성막건축은 무엇 하나 임의대로 하지 않고 하나님이 지시(말씀)하신 그대로 순종했습니다. 하나님을 예배하는 성막(처소)이나 하나님께 나아가는 방법은 모두 하나님이 주도적으로 설계하십니다. 그 설계도에 따르면 성막으로 들어갈 때 반드시 번제단을 통해야만 합니다. 당시에 번제단은 하나님과의 언약관계를 유지하고 회복하는 중요한 방법이었습니다. 하지만 오늘 우리는 좋으신 하나님께, 놋으로 만든 번제단을 통과하지 않고, 바로 나아가는 특권을 지금 누리고 있습니다. 자신을 제물로 내어주신 주님 때문입니다 “보혈을 지나(통해) 하나님 품으로~ 보혈을 지나 아버지 품으로~~~”
제단에 이어서 또 하나 눈에 들어오는 것이 물두멍입니다. 물두멍은 번제를 드린 제사장들이 성소에 들어가기 전에 손을 씻는 세숫대야 같은 도구입니다. 하나님은 거룩하신 분이기에, 비록 속죄제물인 예수님 때문에 하나님께로 나아갈 길이 열렸지만, 이미 목욕한 자라도 죄고백을 통한 용서가 날마다 필요합니다. 그래서 요한은 말합니다. “만일 우리가 우리 죄를 자백하면 그는 미쁘시고 의로우사 우리 죄를 사하시며 우리를 모든 불의에서 깨끗하게 하실 것이요”(요일 1:9) 그리고 이 물두멍이 회막에서 수종드는 여인들의 거울로 만들어졌다고 합니다. 최상급 재질의 구리로 만들고 얼굴이 비칠 만큼 날마다 닦은 회막을 섬기는 여인들의 구리 거울은 이제 성막으로 들어가는 제사장들이 얼굴과 손을 씻을 때, 흠을 발견하고 깨끗케 하는 일에 사용됩니다. 그렇다면 나를 단장하는 도구가 공동체를 섬기는 도구로 승화된 셈입니다. 자기 단장의 기구인 여인의 거울에 해당하는 것은 무엇일까요? 나의 시간, 소유, 재능 모든 것을 하나님의 영광을 위해 구별할 때, 내게 있는 것으로, 내가 할 수 있는 만큼 섬길 수 있는 복된 하루가 되길 축복했습니다. 이어서 소그룹 장소에 가서 나눈 풍성한 묵상은 기록할 공간이 부족할 뿐입니다.
One of the greatest hallmarks of our school is that every member of the Ezra family—from faculty and students to our board of trustees—participates in daily meditation on God's Word. From Monday to Friday, the first-year students living in the dormitories gather in the auditorium at 6:30 a.m. to spend 30 minutes in personal devotion with Scripture Union's Daily Bible. From 7:00 a.m., professors lead a 20-minute reflection, and for the remaining 30 minutes, students divide into small groups across various rooms to share their insights with one another. Someone once called it the “threefold cord meditation sharing.” ^^ Although the 20-minute message is usually led by professors in rotation, occasionally the university president, the board chairman, and later in the semester, even students take their turn to lead. Professors who do not reside on campus and board members living far away often arrive the evening before, stay overnight at the school, and join the morning fellowship. That alone shows how deeply our school treasures meditating on the Word of God. Indeed, our founder, the late Mrs. Jung-Ran Baek, who went home to heaven earlier this year, once remarked that if even one or two people each year truly hear God's Word and live according to it, founding this school was entirely worthwhile.
A few Tuesdays ago, it was my turn to lead. The assigned text for that morning was Exodus 38:1–20. At first glance, the passage felt utterly overwhelming, like a vast and barren wilderness, offering seemingly little to guide a morning devotion. A fleeting thought even crossed my mind: Did they assign me this text just to tease me? Of course, that could never be the case! When arranging the schedule, for the convenience of others, I had specifically requested Tuesday mornings, since I reside in the faculty residence of the new hall. Yet the sense of perplexity was so profound that such a thought momentarily surfaced. Still, if you observe the wilderness with care, there is much to be seen. Looking up, you see the sky and clouds; looking down, you see the earth. Look closer still, and even in the desert, wild grasses and small insects reveal themselves. Approaching the Scripture with that expectant heart, I was able to prepare a humble picnic basket of spiritual nourishment to share that morning. ^^
Looking at the broader context, Exodus chapters 35 to 40 record the construction and completion of the Tabernacle. By offering their precious possessions willingly and with joyful hearts, people filled with the Spirit of God—those endowed with divine wisdom—did their utmost in their respective tasks, and thus completed the Tabernacle even in the wilderness. The first section of that day's passage (vv. 1–8) details the crafting of the altar of burnt offering and the bronze basin, while the second section (vv. 9–20) describes the construction of the courtyard fence. In building the Tabernacle, nothing was done arbitrarily; every detail was carried out in precise obedience to the Lord’s instruction. Whether it is the Tabernacle where God is worshipped or the way through which we draw near to Him, God Himself takes the initiative and designs it all. According to His blueprint, one could enter the Tabernacle only by first passing through the altar of burnt offering. In those ancient days, that altar was the vital means of maintaining and restoring covenant fellowship with God. Today, however, we enjoy the astonishing privilege of approaching our gracious God directly, without having to pass through a bronze altar of burnt offering. This is solely because of our Lord, who gave Himself up as the ultimate sacrifice: “Through the precious blood, into the arms of God; through the precious blood, into the Father’s embrace...”
Next to the altar, another object captures our gaze: the bronze basin (laver). The basin was like a washbasin where the priests, after presenting burnt offerings, washed their hands and feet before entering the Holy Place. Because God is holy, even though the way into His presence has been opened once and for all through Jesus our sin offering, those who have bathed still need daily forgiveness through the confession of sins. Thus John writes: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Furthermore, this bronze basin was crafted from the bronze mirrors of the women who served at the entrance of the tent of meeting. Made of the finest bronze and polished daily until they reflected the face clearly, these mirrors—once used by serving women to adorn themselves—were now repurposed so that priests entering the Tabernacle could wash their faces and hands, noticing every flaw and being cleansed. In this way, an instrument of personal adornment was transformed into a vessel of service for the whole community. What corresponds to the woman’s mirror of self-adornment in our own lives? I closed the devotion by praying that this day would be blessed as we set apart our time, our possessions, and our talents for God's glory, serving Him faithfully with what we have and to the best of our ability. As for the rich reflections that followed when we dispersed into our small groups, space here is simply not enough to contain them all.
Een van die mooiste kenmerke van ons universiteit is dat almal in die Ezra-gesin—van dosente en studente tot selfs die raadslede—daagliks tyd maak vir oordenking van God se Woord. Van Maandag tot Vrydag kom die eersteklassers wat in die koshuise woon, soggens om 06:30 in die saal bymekaar om vir dertig minute lank stil oordenking te hou met Die Daaglikse Bybel. Vanaf 07:00 lei die professore om die beurt vir sowat twintig minute 'n oordenking, en die oorblywende dertig minute verdeel hulle in kleingroepe op verskillende plekke om hart tot hart met mekaar te deel. Iemand het dit al treffend die “driedubbele koord-oordenking” genoem. ^^ Hoewel die professore meestal om die beurt die twintig minute oordenking lei, neem die rektor of die raadsvoorsitter soms die leiding, en later in die semester selfs die studente. Professore wat nie op die kampus woon nie en raadslede wat ver weg bly, kom dikwels die vorige aand al universiteit toe, oornag hier en woon die oggendbyeenkoms by. Dit alleen getuig van hoe kosbaar die oordenking van God se Woord vir ons universiteit is. Trouens, wyle mev. Jung-Ran Baek, ons stigter wat vroeër vanjaar na haar hemelse woning vertrek het, het dikwels gesê dat as daar selfs net een of twee mense per jaar is wat die Woord hoor en daarvolgens lewe, die stigting van hierdie skool die moeite werd was.
Nou die dag op 'n Dinsdag was dit my beurt om te lei. Die skrifgedeelte van daardie oggend was Eksodus 38:1–20. Aanvanklik het die teks my heeltemal oorweldig; dit het soos 'n dorre woestyn gevoel, sonder enige ooglopende aanknopingspunt vir 'n oordenking. Die gedagte het selfs vlugtig by my opgekom: Het hulle my dalk met hierdie teks opgesaal om my te toets? Natuurlik was dit glad nie die geval nie! Toe die rooster opgestel is, het ek ter wille van ander se gerief self gevra om op Dinsdae te lei, aangesien ek in die personeelkwartiere in die nuwe vleuel woon. Maar die gevoel van radeloosheid was so groot dat 'n mens selfs sulke dinge sou dink! Tog, as 'n mens die woestyn met aandag betrag, is daar baie wat die oog tref. As jy opkyk, sien jy die hemel en die wolke; as jy afkyk, sien jy die grond; en as jy fyn kyk, ontdek jy selfs in die dorre sand veldgras en klein insekte. Met so 'n afwagtende hart het ek die teks genader en kon ek uiteindelik 'n beskeie piekniekmandjie met geestelike voedsel voorberei om daardie oggend te deel. ^^
In die groter geheel beskryf Eksodus 35 tot 40 die bou en voltooiing van die tabernakel. Deurdat elkeen met 'n blymoedige hart dit wat kosbaar was gebring het, en mense vervul met die Gees van God—mense met goddelike wysheid—hulle beste gegee het op die terreine wat aan hulle toevertrou is, is die tabernakel selfs in die woestyn voltooi. Die eerste deel van daardie dag se gedeelte (verse 1–8) beskryf die maak van die brandofferaltaar en die waskom, terwyl die tweede deel (verse 9–20) die oprigting van die voorhof se omheining uiteensit. By die oprigting van die tabernakel is niks na eie goeddunke gedoen nie; alles is in noukeurige gehoorsaamheid aan die opdragte van die Here uitgevoer. Sowel die tabernakel waar God aanbid word as die weg waardeur ons tot Hom nader, word geheel en al deur God self ontwerp. Volgens daardie bloudruk kon 'n mens die tabernakel slegs binnegaan deur eers by die brandofferaltaar verby te gaan. In daardie tyd was die altaar die noodsaaklike middel om die verbondsverhouding met God te onderhou en te herstel. Vandag geniet ons egter die kosbare voorreg om sonder 'n bronsaltaar regstreeks tot ons getroue God te nader. Dit is alleen te danke aan die Here wat Homself as soenoffer gegee het: “Deur die kosbare bloed, tot in die arms van God; deur die kosbare bloed, tot in die Vader se omhelsing...”
Benewens die altaar val 'n mens se oog ook op die waskom. Die waskom was soos 'n wasbak waar die priesters wat die brandoffer gebring het, eers hulle hande en voete moes was voordat hulle die heiligdom kon binnegaan. Omdat God heilig is, en al is die weg tot God vir altyd geopen deur Jesus as ons soenoffer, het selfs diegene wat reeds gebad het, daaglikse vergifnis deur skuldbelydenis nodig. Daarom skryf Johannes: “As ons ons sondes bely, Hy is getrou en regverdig om ons die sondes te vergewe en ons van alle ongeregtigheid te reinig” (1 Joh. 1:9). Verder lees ons dat hierdie waskom gemaak is van die bronsspieëls van die vroue wat by die ingang van die tent van ontmoeting gedien het. Hierdie spieëls—gemaak van die fynste koper en daagliks gepoets tot dit 'n helder spieëlbeeld gegee het—is deur die dienende vroue gebruik om hulself te versorg. Nou sou dit dien sodat die priesters wat die heiligdom betree, hulle gesigte en hande kon was, elke vlek kon raaksien en gereinig kon word. Sodoende is 'n voorwerp vir eie versorging verhef tot 'n instrument waardeur die hele gemeenskap gedien kon word. Wat is vandag in ons lewens die eweknie van die vrou se spieël van selfversorging? Ek het die oordenking afgesluit met die seënwens dat dit 'n geseënde dag mag wees waarin ons ons tyd, ons besittings en ons talente afsonder tot eer van God, om met dit wat ons het en na die beste van ons vermoë te dien. Wat die ryk oordenkings betref wat daarna in die kleingroepe gedeel is—daarvoor is hier eenvoudig nie genoeg ruimte om alles neer te pen nie.