지난 11월 23일 화요일은 올들어 가장 추운 날이었습니다. 그날 아침 일찍부터 함께 만나서 자전거를 타려고 생각했는데 월요일 밤늦게 팀장으로부터 연락이 왔습니다. “늦은 시간에 톡 드립니다… 내일 갑작스런 추위가 찾아와 아침 해 뜨기 전 추위도 있고 길도 얇게 얼고 해… 아침 출발 보류 하고…
낮에 출발해 행주산성 인근에서 점심하고 라이딩하겠습니다…” “장목사님께서는 11시 출발 하셔서 아라뱃길 입구 전호대교로 오시구요 정목사님은 10시 50분 출발하셔서 저랑 창릉천 입구서 만나… 장목사님과 도킹하러 가겠습니다~~~” “라이딩은 5시 정도엔 다 복귀가 되도록 적당한 거리를 타겠습니다~~~” “대략 저랑 정목사님은 11시 50분경 만나게 될 것 같고 장목사님과는 12시 10분경 만나게 될 거 같습니다” “네 알겠습니다^^ 감사합니다~~”
뒷날 아침에 확인차 드린 톡입니다. “세심한 안내에 감사드리며 11시 50분에 황 목사님 만나서 12시 10분에 장 목사님 만나는 설레는 날입니다 날씨^^ 아침에 산책해보니 괜찮습니다~~” 하지만 간밤의 “추위에 은행잎들이 땅으로 내려왔습니다^^ ” “소풍가는 날처럼 꼭두새벽부터 일어나 설레는 맘으로 시간을 기다립니다.” “오늘은 추운 날이니 따뜻한 가게에서 점심을 먹읍시다^^ 제가 대접을 하겠습니다~~” “예~~~ 감사합니다~~따뜻한 음식, 식당 봐 두었습니다~~~” 하지만 점심값은 장 목사님께서 내셨습니다. “이번에는 내가 냅니다. 형님부터 내어야지~” 그 말을 할 때 맞은 편의 김 목사님이 의미심장한 미소와 함께 말합니다. “그럼 다음 점심도 예약된 거죠^^” “추운 날씨를 이기고 오늘도 즐거운 라이딩이었습니다. 잘 들어가셨죠?” “목사님들 배려로 즐거운 라이딩이었습니다. 감사합니다.” “저희 둘은 아직 행주산성 식당에서 몸 녹이며 식사 하고 있습니다~~ 오늘 쌀쌀한 날씨에 즐거운 라이딩 이었습니다… 점심, 커피 감사합니다~~~” “결국 저녁 식사도 집에 가서 하지 않는 나쁜 남편들이 되었군요” “ㅋ.. 예… 편히 쉬십시오~~~”
“황 목사님, 김 목사님, 오늘은 특별했습니다. 이런 날씨에 두 분이 앞장서고 뒷감당을 했기에 굉장한 라이딩을 감당했습니다. 편히 쉬는 시간 있길 바랍니다.” 이미 어두워진 시간에 어둠을 밝히는 헤드 라이트도 없이 집으로 돌아오면서 생각해 보았습니다. 장갑을 끼었지만 손가락도 시리고 헬멧으로 들어오는 바람도, 귀도 시린 날, 81킬로의 거리를 6시간 가까이 탄다는 것은 혼자서는 절대로 하지 않을 일입니다. 그런데도 오늘 너끈히 한 것은 오직 <함께>한 네 사람이 만들어낸 역사임에 틀림 없습니다. 네 그렇습니다. 혼자는 엄두가 나지 않는 일이라도 함께 하면 해 낼 수 있습니다. 기도하는 일도 묵상나눔도 우린 매일 하고 싶어하지만 잘 안 됩니다. 그럴때 어렵지 않은 방법이 몇 사람이라도 함께 하는 것입니다.추운날 자전거 타는 일뿐만 아니라 매일 새벽기도를 빠지지 않고 한다든지 아니면
365일 묵상나눔을 계속하는 것도 혼자보다 함께 하면 더 쉽게 해 낼 수가 있습니다. 그것이 공동체를
주신 하나님의 지혜입니다.
아주 옛날 젊고 싱싱할 때 유학을 갔고 이론 신학에서 실천 신학, 그것도 설교학으로 과목을 바꾸면서 전에 없던 고민이 생겼습니다. 물론 목사만 되어도 성도들의 선생노릇을 해야 하지만 박사가 되어서 귀국하면 목사들의 선생노릇을 해야하니 고민스러운 것입니다. 게다가 모교의 약속대로, 설교학 교수가 되는 것은 신학생들의 설교를 지적질하는 특허를 얻는 일이 아닙니다. 문학가가 아니더라도 문학비평가는 될 수 있지만, 설교를 잘 하지 못하면서 설교를 가르칠 수는 없는 노릇입니다. 그럼 누가 설교를 잘 할 수 있습니까? 알아듣도록 설교문을 구성하고, 성령의 도움이 있어야 하겠지만, 우선 출발점은 무엇보다 본문을 잘 이해해야 하는 것입니다. 어려운 구절을 만나면 기도하고 금식하던 선배들을 보면서 처음에는 두 가정이 모여서 새벽기도를 막 시작했을 때, 평생동지인 부부만으로는 실패하다가 두 가정이 약속하니 가능했습니다. “한 사람이면 패하겠거니와 두 사람이면 맞설 수 있나니 세 겹 줄은 쉽게 끊어지지 아니하느니라”(전 4:12)
<Relive에서 굉장한 라이딩을 체크할 수 있습니다! https://www.relive.cc/view/vevYxE7A3Jq>
Tuesday, November 23rd, was the coldest day of the year so far. We had originally planned to meet early in the morning to ride our bicycles together, but late Monday night a message arrived from our team leader: “Texting you late at night... A sudden cold snap is hitting tomorrow. With the freezing cold before sunrise and the roads lightly iced over, let's hold off on the early morning departure...
We will leave around midday, have lunch near Haengjusanseong Fortress, and ride from there....” “Pastor Jang, please set out at 11:00 and head to Jeonho Bridge at the entrance of the Ara Waterway. Rev. Jung, please start at 10:50 and meet me at the entrance of Changneungcheon... and then we will go dock with Pastor Jang~~~” “We’ll keep the distance manageable so everyone can be back home by around 5:00~~~” “Rev. Jung and I will likely meet around 11:50, and we should meet Pastor Jang around 12:10.” “Understood! Thank you~~”
The next morning, I sent a message to confirm: “Thank you for the thoughtful directions. Meeting Pastor Hwang at 11:50 and Pastor Jang at 12:10 makes this such an exciting day! The weather^^ feels just fine after taking a morning walk~~” And yet, overnight, “the cold brought all the ginkgo leaves fluttering to the ground^^” “Up at the crack of dawn like a child on picnic day, waiting for the hour with an eager heart.” “Since it's cold today, let’s have lunch at a warm restaurant^^ My treat~~” “Yes~~~ Thank you~~ I’ve already scouted out a warm restaurant with good food~~~” But in the end, it was Pastor Jang who paid for lunch. “This time it’s on me. The older brother should pay first~” As he said this, Pastor Kim on the opposite side of the table smiled meaningfully and chimed in: “Then that means the next lunch is already reserved!^^” “We conquered the freezing weather and had a delightful ride today. Did you all get home safely?” “Thanks to everyone's thoughtful care, it was such a wonderful ride. Thank you.” “The two of us are still at the restaurant near Haengjusanseong warming up and finishing our meal~~ Truly a lovely ride despite the brisk chill... Thank you for lunch and coffee~~~” “In the end, it seems we've become bad husbands who skip dinner at home!” “Haha.. indeed... Have a restful evening~~~”
“Pastor Hwang, Pastor Kim, today was truly special. Because the two of you led the way and watched our backs in this biting weather, we pulled off an extraordinary ride. Wishing you both a very restful time.”
Riding back home in the dark without a headlight to illuminate the path, I found myself reflecting deeply. Even with gloves, fingertips were numb; the wind seeped through the helmet, chilling my ears. Covering 81 kilometers over nearly six hours on such a day is something I would never, ever attempt alone. Yet completing it with ease was undeniably a feat made possible only because the four of us did it . Yes, indeed. Things that feel completely daunting on our own become possible when done together. Whether it is praying or sharing devotional reflections, we all want to do it daily, but consistently struggle on our own. When that happens, a simple solution is to join hands with just a few others. Not only cycling on freezing days, but attending early morning prayer without fail, or
persevering in daily devotional sharing for all 365 days—these are far easier achieved together than alone. That is precisely the wisdom of God in granting us community.
Long ago, when I was young and full of vigor, I went abroad to study. When I transitioned from theoretical theology to practical theology—and specifically homiletics—a dilemma arose that I had never anticipated. Even being an ordinary pastor requires teaching the flock, but returning home with a doctorate meant having to teach fellow pastors, which weighed heavily on my conscience. Furthermore, becoming a professor of homiletics, as promised by my alma mater, was not a license merely to critique the preaching of seminarians. While one may be a literary critic without being a novelist, one cannot teach preaching without being able to preach well. Who, then, can preach well? One must structure sermons so they can be readily understood, and the Holy Spirit’s help is indispensable, but above all, the very starting point is understanding the biblical text thoroughly. Looking at senior ministers who fasted and prayed whenever they encountered difficult passages, when two families first gathered to start morning prayer together, what had failed with just husband and wife as lifelong companions became possible once two households made a mutual commitment. “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken” (Ecclesiastes 4:12).
<You can check out our incredible ride on Relive! https://www.relive.cc/view/vevYxE7A3Jq>
Dinsdag 23 November was vanjaar se koudste dag tot dusver. Ons was van plan om vroegoggend bymekaar te kom om fiets te ry, maar laat Maandagaand het ’n boodskap van ons spanleier gekom: “Ek stuur so laat ’n boodskappie… Môre slaan ’n skielike koue toe, en met die ysige oggend voor sonop en die paaie wat liggies gevries is, kom ons stel die vroeë oggendvertrek uit...
Ons sal teen die middag vertrek, naby die Haengjusanseong-vesting middagete geniet en van daar af ry....” “Pastoor Jang, vertrek asseblief om 11:00 en ry na die Jeonho-brug by die ingang van die Ara-waterweg. Ds. Jung, vertrek gerus om 10:50 en ontmoet my by die Changneungcheon-ingang... dan gaan haal ons vir Pastoor Jang~~~” “Ons sal die afstand matig hou sodat almal teen ongeveer 17:00 weer veilig tuis kan wees~~~” “Ds. Jung en ek sal mekaar seker omstreeks 11:50 ontmoet, en ons behoort Pastoor Jang teen 12:10 te kry.” “Goed so! Baie dankie~~”
Die volgende oggend het ek ter bevestiging ’n boodskap gestuur: “Baie dankie vir die deeglike reëlings. Om Pastoor Hwang om 11:50 te ontmoet en Pastoor Jang om 12:10 maak vandag ’n opwindende dag! Die weer^^ voel heel skaflik ná ’n oggendstappie~~” Tog het “die koue vannag die ginkgoblare almal grond toe laat sak^^” “Soos op ’n skoolekskursiedag het ek douvoordag opgestaan en wag met ’n opgewonde hart.” “Aangesien dit koud is vandag, kom ons eet middagete by ’n warm restaurantjie^^ Ek trakteer~~” “Ja~~~ Baie dankie~~ Ek het reeds ’n lekker warm eetplek met goeie kos opgemerk~~~” Maar op die ou end het Pastoor Jang die rekening betaal. “Hierdie keer betaal ek. Die oudste boetie moet mos eerste betaal~” Terwyl hy dit sê, glimlag Pastoor Kim oorkant die tafel betekenisvol en merk op: “Dan is die volgende middagete mos klaar bespreek!^^” “Ons het die bittere koue getrotseer en vandag heerlik gery. Het almal veilig by die huis gekom?” “Danksy die leraars se bedagsaamheid was dit ’n wonderlike rit. Baie dankie.” “Ons twee sit nog by die eetplek naby Haengjusanseong om warm te word en klaar te eet~~ Dit was voorwaar ’n genotvolle rit in die koue weer... Baie dankie vir die ete en koffie~~~” “Uiteindelik het ons slegte eggenote geword wat nie eers by die huis gaan aandete eet nie!” “Haha.. ja... Rus heerlik uit~~~”
“Pastoor Hwang, Pastoor Kim, vandag was baie besonders. Omdat julle twee in hierdie ysige weer voorgeloop en agtertoe wag gehou het, kon ons so ’n geweldige rit aandurf. Mag julle ’n rustige en verkwikkende aand geniet.”
Terwyl ek in die donker sonder ’n koplamp op pad huis toe gery het, het ek diep nagedink. Al het ek handskoene aangehad, was my vingers koud; die wind het deur die valhelm gewaai en my ore het geklem van die koute. Om op so ’n dag 81 kilometer oor byna ses uur lank te ry, is iets wat ’n mens nooit op jou eie sou doen nie. Tog het ons dit vandag met gemak voltooi—’n prestasie wat sonder twyfel te danke is aan die vier van ons wat dit gedoen het. Ja, inderdaad. Dinge wat ’n mens alleen nooit sou waag nie, kan vermag word wanneer ons saamstaan. Gebed en die deel van oordenkings is dinge wat ons almal daagliks wil doen, maar op ons eie sukkel ons dikwels. In sulke tye is ’n eenvoudige oplossing om dit saam met ’n paar ander aan te pak. Nie net om op ’n ysige dag fiets te ry nie, maar ook om elke oggend getrou vroegoggendgebed by te woon, of
om 365 dae aaneen vol te hou met die deel van oordenkings—saam is dit soveel makliker as alleen. Dít is die wysheid van God wat aan ons ’n gemeenskap geskenk het.
Lank gelede, toe ek nog jonk en vol lewenskrag was, het ek in die buiteland gaan studeer. Toe ek oorgeskakel het van teoretiese teologie na praktiese teologie—en boonop na homiletiek (die predikkunde)—het daar ’n ongekende worsteling in my gemoed ontstaan. Om bloot ’n predikant te wees, verg reeds dat ’n mens lidmate moet onderrig; maar om met ’n doktorsgraad terug te keer, het beteken dat ek leraars moes onderrig, en dit was ’n swaar las op my skouers. Buitendien, om homiletiekprofessor te word soos my alma mater beloof het, was nie ’n lisensie om bloot foute in teologiestudente se preke uit te wys nie. ’n Mens hoef nie self ’n skrywer te wees om ’n literêre kritikus te wees nie, maar jy kan nie prediking doseer as jy nie self goed kan preek nie. Wie kan dan werklik goed preek? ’n Mens moet ’n preek verstaanbaar kan opbou, en die krag van die Heilige Gees is onontbeerlik, maar die allereerste uitgangspunt is bowenal om die Bybelteks deeglik te begryp. Toe ek kyk na die mentors voor my wat gevas en gebid het wanneer hulle voor moeilike Skrifgedeeltes te staan gekom het, en ons aanvanklik as twee gesinne saam vroegoggendgebed begin hou het, het dit wat ons as huweliksmaats—al is ons lewenslange metgeselle—alleen nie kon regkry nie, werklikheid geword toe twee gesinne ’n wedersydse belofte gemaak het. “En as iemand die een aanrand, kan twee hom teëstaan; en ’n driedubbele lyn word nie gou verbreek nie” (Prediker 4:12).
<Kyk gerus na hierdie ongelooflike rit op Relive! https://www.relive.cc/view/vevYxE7A3Jq>