[긴급한 기도요청이 에스라교직원 기도방에 올라왔습니다. 은행대출을 두고 동문 교회의 긴급요청이었습니다. 금요일(17일) 오후에 기대한 결과가 월요일(20일) 오후로 미루어지자, 두 분은 강화도 신덕기도원으로 금식기도하러 갔고 우린 후방에서 기도했습니다. 결과가 궁금했지만 함께 기도한 분이 어떻게 되었냐고 재촉해서, 화요일 오후에 비로소 묻습니다. “살아 계시는 하나님의 종 다니엘아 네가 항상 섬기는 네 하나님이 사자들에게서 능히 너를 구원하셨느냐” 그랬더니 아래 편지를 보내왔습니다.]
안녕하세요, 진미소.이수기 부부입니다.^^ 지난 10일 중도금 1억을 치른 후, 이제 잔금 2억을 위해 지난 주 월요일부터 수요일까지 위례동의 수많은 2금융권 은행들을 돌아다녔었습니다. 대부분의 은행에서 대출을 거절당하거나 부족한 액수를 말했습니다. 그런데 남편이 갑자기 마지막으로 가보지않았던 1금융권 ㄱ은행을 타지역인 모지점으로 가고 싶은 마음이 든다고 하여 갔는데 유일하게 그 은행에서 2억의 대출을 긍정적으로 말했습니다. 딱 저희에게 필요한 2억의 대출이 가능할것 같다고 하는 은행을 찾게 해주신 하나님께 감사했습니다. ㄱ은행에 심사를 신청하고, 1억9천으로 상담해준 ㄴ은행은 일단 차선책으로 두고선 ㄱ은행의 (17일) 금요일 연락만을 기다렸었습니다. 그런데 기다렸던 금요일에 ㄱ은행에서 대출결정을 월요일로 미룬다는 연락을 받고 불안했던 저희는 은행이 끝나는 4시가 거의 다 될때까지 고민한 끝에 1억9천을 이야기했던 ㄴ은행에 얼른 전화를 걸어서 대출을 진행시켜달라고 했습니다. 그러나 ㄴ은행에서는 이미 이틀 전에 우리가 ㄱ은행에서 대출심사를 신청한 것을 보고 그곳을 선택한 줄 알았다며, 심사 동시 진행은 불가능하다고 했습니다. ㄴ은행을 차선책으로 두고 있던 저희 부부는 뜻밖의 상황에 당황했습니다. 한 주간의 은행 영업이 종료하는 금요일 4시는 지나가버렸습니다.
이제 월요일에 ㄱ은행에서 2억 대출승인 연락주길 기다리는 것밖에 더 이상 남은 수가 없게 된 것입니다. 또 다시 저희가 할 수 있는 일이 다 끝나고 모든걸 하나님께 의탁하며 기도만 해야 하는 벼랑끝에 선 것만 같은 순간이 찾아왔습니다. 저희는 다음 날 기도원에 올라가서 월요일까지 3일간 금식하며 기도할 수 밖에 없었습니다. 월요일 오전 10시경, 드디어 기다리던 은행에서 전화가 왔지만 다시 한 번 물을 것이 있다며 질문을 한 뒤 전화를 끊었습니다. 저희는 차에서 내리 세 시간을 기도하며 계속 전화만 기다렸습니다. 그러나 은행업무가 종료되는 4시까지도 전화는 다시 오지 않았습니다. 남편은 먼저 전화해보라는 저의 권유에도 결과는 달라질 것이 없다며 전화하지 않았습니다. 그렇게 기다리던 월요일의 하루가 저물어갔습니다. 정말 입술이 바싹 마르고 피가 마르는 것과 같은 시간이었습니다. 그런데 6시가 거의 다 되었을 무렵, 드디어 은행에서 전화가 왔습니다. 2억의 대출이 승인되었다는 소식었습니다!!! 하나님께 너무나도 감격하고 감사했습니다. 저희가 믿음으로 눈을 질끈 감고 벼랑 끝에서 뛰어 내릴 때마다 하나님은 역시 기대를 실망시키지 않으시고 매번 저희를 받아 주십니다.
하나님께서는 이 모든 과정 가운데에서 끝까지 하나님만을 바라보게 기도 훈련을 시키십니다. 중도금 1억도 사실 천만원을 더 빌려받기로 했던 돈이 어쩔 수 없는 이유로 하루 전에 취소되면서 하루를 꼬박 더 기도하게 하셨고 중도금을 상환해야하는 당일에야 1억이 채워지게 하셨습니다. 만약 전 날 오전에 예정대로 천만원이 들어왔다면 즉시 1억이 채워져서 이후에는 중도금을 위한 후원이 끝나고 저희도 기도를 놓고 편히 쉬었을 것입니다. 이번 잔금 2억의 대출또한 예정대로 지난 주 금요일에 승인되었다면, 저희 부부는 지난 주말을 편한 마음으로 즐기며 지냈을 것 같습니다. 그러나 하나님은 3일을 연장시키시며 저희 부부가 기도원에 올라가 주말 내내 금식하며 기도할 수 밖에 없게 하셨고, 월요일 당일에도 오전이 아닌 저녁 6시에 응답을 받게 하시면서 하루종일 간절히 기도할 수 밖에 없게 하셨습니다. 이런 훈련과정이 힘겹고 버겁긴하지만, 이것이 저희에게 복을 주시기 위한 하나님의 사랑임을 압니다. 기도원에 가서 눈이 쌓인 산 중턱으로 기도하러 올라갔다가 말씀 비석을 발견하고 덮인 눈을 쓸어보았습니다. [심령이 가난한 자는 복이 있나니 천국이 그들의 것임이요 마태복음 5:3] 그 말씀앞에 서서 눈물로 기도를 쏟게 되었습니다.
마음이 부유한 사람이 복이 아니라 마음이 가난한 자가 복이 있기에 우리 부부가 가난한 마음을 가지고 하나님께만 매달릴 수 밖에 없게 하셔서 하나님을 기업으로 얻게 해주신 복을 주심에 진심으로 감사합니다. 무척 힘들고 애쓰는 시간속에 있어도 어느 때보다도 더 큰 하나님의 일하심을 보게 되기에 감격하고, 어느 때보다도 더 땀과 눈물을 흘리며 기도하게 되기에 감사하며 행복을 느낍니다.^^♡ 하나님이 저희와 함께하심을 느낄때마다 참된 평안과 위로과 힘을 얻습니다. 고백건데 부유하고 안락한 환경에서는 절대 하나님만을 갈망하지 않았을 것입니다. 그러나 하나님만이 참된 행복을 주시는 분이심을 알기에 앞으로도 평생 저희는 안락하고 부유한 삶속에서 하나님을 잊는 길보다는 가난하고 고난받는 삶속에서 하나님을 얻는 길을 선택할 것 입니다. 우리가 하나님을 섬기고 있다는 사실이 하나님이 우리의 아버지시라는 사실이 얼마나 감사하고 행복한 은혜인지.. 우리의 아버지 하나님은 살아계시며, 선하시며, 전지전능하시며, 우리를 사랑하시며, 우리와 늘 함께하십니다. 다음주 월요일 입당한 한 이후에 다시 소식을 전하겠습니다. 늘 함께하는 교회의 개척을 위해 계속 기도해주고 계시는 여러분께 진심으로 감사합니다.
우리의 아버지 하나님께 영광!
우리의 구세주 예수님께 충성!
우리의 인도자 성령님께 감사!
할렐루야!!!!^○^/
[An urgent prayer request was posted in the Ezra faculty and staff prayer room. It was an urgent plea from an alumni church regarding a bank loan. When the expected outcome on Friday afternoon (the 17th) was delayed until Monday afternoon (the 20th), the couple went to the Shindeok Prayer Retreat Center on Ganghwa Island to fast and pray, while we supported them in prayer from behind the lines. Anxious to know the outcome, and prompted by a fellow prayer partner asking how things turned out, I finally reached out on Tuesday afternoon with Daniel's words: “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?” In response, they sent the following letter.]
Hello, this is Miso Jin and Sooki Lee.^^ After paying the interim installment of 100 million won on the 10th, we spent last Monday through Wednesday visiting numerous secondary tier financial institutions across Wirye-dong to secure the final balance of 200 million won. Most banks turned us down outright or offered an amount far too small. But then, my husband suddenly felt a strong prompting to visit a branch of Bank A—a primary tier bank in another district that we had not yet tried—and surprisingly, that bank alone responded positively about a 200 million won loan. We gave thanks to God for leading us to a bank that seemed ready to provide the exact 200 million won we needed. We officially applied for screening at Bank A and kept Bank B, which had consulted us for 190 million won, as a backup plan while waiting for Bank A's response on Friday (the 17th). However, on that eagerly awaited Friday, Bank A notified us that their loan decision would be delayed until Monday. Anxious and unsettled, we agonized until nearly 4:00 PM—bank closing time—before hurriedly calling Bank B to ask them to proceed with the 190 million won loan. Yet Bank B replied that seeing we had applied for screening at Bank A two days earlier, they assumed we had chosen Bank A, and thus simultaneous screening was impossible. Having counted on Bank B as our safety net, we were utterly bewildered by this unexpected turn. The clock struck 4:00 PM on Friday, and banking hours for the week came to an end.
Now, our only remaining option was to wait until Monday, hoping Bank A would approve the 200 million won loan. Once again, we arrived at a place where everything we could humanly do had been exhausted—a precarious cliff edge where our only choice was to entrust everything to God and pray. We had no alternative but to head up to the prayer retreat center the next day and fast in prayer for three days until Monday. Around 10:00 AM on Monday, the long-awaited call from the bank finally came, but they only asked a follow-up question and hung up. We sat in our car praying continuously for three solid hours, waiting by the phone. Yet even when normal banking hours ended at 4:00 PM, no call came. Despite my urges for him to call first, my husband chose not to, saying it wouldn't change the outcome. Thus, that agonizing Monday slowly drew to a close. Our lips were parched, and our hearts were wrung with anxiety. But then, just before 6:00 PM, the phone finally rang. It was the bank! The 200 million won loan had been approved!!! We were overcome with emotion and filled with gratitude to God. Every time we close our eyes in faith and leap from the cliff edge, God never disappoints our expectations; without fail, He catches us in His embrace.
Through this entire journey, God has been training us in prayer, teaching us to keep our eyes fixed solely on Him until the very end. Even with the interim payment of 100 million won, an additional 10 million won we were supposed to borrow fell through unexpectedly the day before, leading us to pray fervently for an entire extra day before providing the complete 100 million won right on the payment due date. If that 10 million won had arrived on schedule the morning before, the full 100 million won would have been secured immediately, the support would have ended, and we would have laid down our prayers to rest comfortably. Likewise, had this final 200 million won loan been approved on schedule last Friday, we probably would have enjoyed a relaxed and carefree weekend. Instead, God extended the timeline by three days, compelling us to climb up to the prayer mountain and spend the entire weekend fasting and praying. Even on Monday, He delayed the answer until 6:00 PM rather than the morning, keeping us in earnest prayer throughout the entire day. While such seasons of refining are heavy and exhausting, we recognize that they are God's loving hand shaping us to receive His blessings. At the prayer center, as I walked up the snow-covered mountainside to pray, I noticed a stone monument engraved with Scripture and brushed away the snow: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3). Standing before those words, my prayers poured out in tears.
Blessed are not those whose spirits are rich, but those who are poor in spirit. We are sincerely grateful that God brought our hearts to poverty, leaving us no choice but to cling solely to Him, thereby granting us the blessed inheritance of God Himself. Even amidst times of deep struggle and exhaustion, we are overwhelmed with wonder at witnessing God's mighty hand at work more clearly than ever, and we feel genuine gratitude and joy in pouring out prayers through sweat and tears.^^♡ Whenever we sense God walking beside us, we receive true peace, comfort, and strength. In all honesty, had we been in wealthy and comfortable surroundings, we would never have yearned for God with such depth. Yet knowing that God alone is the source of genuine happiness, we will continue throughout our lives to choose gaining God through humble, afflicted circumstances rather than forgetting Him in a comfortable, prosperous life. How profoundly grateful and blessed we are by the grace of serving God and knowing that He is our Father! God our Father is alive, good, almighty, loving, and ever-present with us. We will share another update next Monday after our church entrance service. We extend our heartfelt thanks to all of you who continue to pray for the pioneering work of Always With Church.
Glory to God our Father!
Faithfulness to Jesus our Savior!
Thanksgiving to the Holy Spirit, our Guide!
Hallelujah!!!!^○^/
['n Dringende gebedsversoek is in die Ezra-personeel se gebedskamer geplaas. Dit was 'n dringende noodkreet van 'n alumni-gemeente aangaande 'n banklening. Toe die verwagte uitslag op Vrydagmiddag (die 17de) tot Maandagmiddag (die 20ste) uitgestel is, het die twee na die Shindeok-gebedsentrum op Ganghwa-eiland gegaan om te vas en te bid, terwyl ons hulle van die tuisfront af in gebed gedra het. Nuuskierig oor die afloop, en aangespoor deur 'n medebidder wat wou weet wat gebeur het, het ek eers Dinsdagmiddag gevra: “Daniël, dienaar van die lewende God, was jou God, wat jy gedurigdeur dien, in staat om jou van die leeus te verlos?” Hierop het hulle die volgende brief gestuur.]
Goeiedag, dit is die egpaar Miso Jin en Sooki Lee.^^ Nadat ons op die 10de die tussentydse paaiement van 100 miljoen won betaal het, het ons van verlede week Maandag tot Woensdag talle tweedevlak-banke in Wirye-dong besoek om die oorblywende 200 miljoen won te probeer reël. Die meeste banke het ons aansoek van die hand gewys of 'n heeltemal ontoereikende bedrag aangebied. Maar toe kry my man skielik die ingewing om 'n tak van Bank A—'n eerstevlak-handelsbank in 'n ander gebied wat ons nog nie besoek het nie—te gaan spreek, en wonderbaarlik was dit die enigste bank wat positief gereageer het op 'n lening van 200 miljoen won. Ons het die Here gedank dat Hy ons na 'n bank gelei het wat bereid gelyk het om presies die 200 miljoen won toe te staan wat ons nodig gehad het. Ons het dadelik om keuring by Bank A aansoek gedoen, terwyl ons Bank B, wat 190 miljoen won aangebied het, as 'n tweede opsie gehou het terwyl ons gewag het op Bank A se antwoord op Vrydag (die 17de). Maar op daardie langverwagte Vrydag het Bank A ons laat weet dat die besluit na Maandag uitgestel word. Vol kommer en onsekerheid het ons gewik en geweeg tot amper 4:00 nm.—sluitingstyd—voordat ons inderhaas vir Bank B gebel het om te vra dat hulle met die 190 miljoen won moet voortgaan. Bank B het egter gesê dat hulle reeds twee dae vantevore gesien het ons het by Bank A aansoek gedoen en aangeneem het dat ons hulle gekies het; gelyktydige keuring was onmoontlik. Aangesien ons Bank B as ons vangnet beskou het, was ons heeltemal uit die veld geslaan. Die klok het 4:00 nm. geslaan, en die bankweek was verby.
Nou was daar niks anders oor as om tot Maandag te wag in die hoop dat Bank A die lening van 200 miljoen won sou goedkeur nie. Weer eens het ons op daardie punt gekom waar alles wat menslik moontlik was, gedaan was—'n oomblik waar ons op die rand van 'n afgrond gestaan het en alles biddend aan God moes toevertrou. Ons kon niks anders doen as om die volgende dag berg-op na die gebedssentrum te gaan en vir drie dae tot Maandag te vas en te bid nie. Maandagoggend omstreeks 10:00 het die langverwagte oproep van die bank uiteindelik gekom, maar hulle het net 'n enkele navraag gedoen en die foon neergesit. Ons het drie ure lank aaneen in die motor gebid en net gewag dat die foon lui. Maar teen 4:00 nm., toe die bankdeure sluit, was daar steeds geen oproep nie. Ten spyte van my pleidooi dat hy self moet skakel, het my man geweier en gesê dat dit niks aan die saak sou verander nie. So het daardie beproewende Maandag ten einde geloop. Ons lippe was droog en ons harte benoud van spanning. Maar toe, net voor 6:00 nm., lui die telefoon uiteindelik. Dit was die bank! Die lening van 200 miljoen won is goedgekeur!!! Ons was oorweldig deur dankbaarheid en verwondering teenoor die Here. Elke keer wanneer ons ons oë in geloof toeknyp en van die krans afspring, stel God ons verwagting nooit teleur nie; Hy vang ons elke keer getrou op.
Deur hierdie hele proses heen oefen die Here ons in gebed, sodat ons ons oë tot die heel einde slegs op Hom gerig hou. Selfs met die 100 miljoen won tussentydse betaling het 'n lening van 10 miljoen won wat ons sou ontvang, die vorige dag om onvermydelike redes deur die mat geval. Dit het ons genoop om nog 'n volle dag te bid, en eers op die betaaldag self het die 100 miljoen won voltallig geword. As daardie 10 miljoen won die oggend vantevore volgens plan ingekom het, sou die bedrag dadelik vol gewees het, die insameling sou afgehandel wees, en ons sou gerieflik opgehou het om te bid. Net so, as die lening van 200 miljoen won verlede Vrydag soos beplan goedgekeur is, sou ons as egpaar waarskynlik 'n rustige en sorgelose naweek geniet het. Maar die Here het dit met drie dae verleng, sodat ons na die gebedsoord moes opgaan om die hele naweek vasend te bid; en selfs op die Maandag self het Hy die antwoord eers om 6:00 nm. laat kom in plaas van die oggend, sodat ons die hele dag lank vurig moes bly pleit. Al is hierdie louteringsproses swaar en uitmergelend, weet ons dat dit God se liefde is om ons ryklik te seën. By die gebedssentrum het ek langs die sneeubedekte berghelling opgestap om te bid, toe ek 'n gedenksteen met Skrifwoorde opmerk. Ek het die sneeu weggeskraap: “Geseënd is dié wat weet hoe afhanklik hulle van God is, want aan hulle behoort die koninkryk van die hemel” (Matteus 5:3). Voor daardie woorde het my gebede in trane uitgevloei.
Geseënd is nie dié wat ryk van gees is nie, maar dié wat arm van gees is. Ons is innig dankbaar dat die Here ons harte klein en behoeftig gemaak het, sodat ons aan Hom alleen moes vasklem en God self as ons erfdeel kon ontvang. Selfs te midde van beproewing en inspanning is ons diep geraak omdat ons God se kragtige hand duideliker as ooit sien werk; ons voel dankbaar en gelukkig om met sweet en trane te kan bid.^^♡ Elke keer as ons God se teenwoordigheid ervaar, ontvang ons ware vrede, troos en krag. Eerlikwaar, in 'n welvarende en gemaklike omgewing sou ons nooit met soveel oorgawe na God gesmag het nie. Maar omdat ons weet dat God alleen ware geluk skenk, sal ons vorentoe lewenslank liewer kies om God in 'n eenvoudige en beproefde lewe te vind, as om Hom in 'n gemaklike en weelderige lewe te vergeet. Wat 'n onbeskryflike voorreg en vreugdevolle genade is dit tog dat ons God mag dien en dat Hy ons Vader is! Ons God en Vader leef; Hy is goed, almagtig, vol liefde en altyd by ons. Ons sal aanstaande Maandag, ná die inwyding van die gebou, weer van ons laat hoor. Ons opregte dank aan elkeen van julle wat aanhoudend bid vir die planting van die Always With-gemeente.
Aan God ons Vader die eer!
Aan Jesus ons Verlosser die trou!
Aan die Heilige Gees ons Leidsman die dank!
Halleluja!!!!^○^/