Aug 23rd, 2021: Don't Trust the Hollow Promise of the World

 


Maybe I am not in touch with reality, or I am too idealistic. I am struggling with what happens in Afghanistan because it has revealed how selfish, ignorant, and pompous we have become in the West. Somehow we seem to be ok to grant ourselves to privilege to cause suffering to others and stand there and watch. We have all of the languages, and we have no substance. Watching the President's press conference this past week was distressing to me. If I am Korean or Taiwanese, I will find my way to move away sooner than later. Believing in American promise of protection is like drinking a cool-aid that has been under the sun for a few days.


We need to pray for the Christians in Afghanistan. These folks are courageous, and many of them will die for their faith. They don't trust the President's promise of safe passage. They believe that Jesus has established one for them. Many Christians there are women. My knowledge of who they are in the midst of all of this has put me on my knees. They are vocal and fearless. They will not be ashamed of the Gospel, and they will face persecution head-on.


Many Afghans will suffer because they have bought the promise of the West. It is like buying stocks that are now worth nothing. They come with severe liability. Maybe we have been guilty of the same. We have given into the promise of this world. We have allowed the temptation of power and status to distract us from what is valuable eternally. The rescue mission has been there, and some of us have refused it.


One more side note, if we can take care of our family now, please consider it as a privilege. Think about many people in other parts of the world who don't even have such a chance. Stop being petty and our selfish perceptions of life and learn how to live meaningfully.


Now is the time to pray for America as well.


Isaiah 42: 22

But this is a people who have been robbed and plundered, all of them trapped in pits or hidden away in prisons. They have become prey, with no one to rescue them; they have been made loot, with no one to say, "Send them back!"

Popular posts from this blog

Aug 31st, 2024: Confession

Image
Dealing with pain sometimes affects our ability and flexibility. A physiotherapist friend gave me a set of home exercises to help with that. They are simple yet intense at the same time. Dealing with our human brokenness sometimes affects our ability to see and hear God. Our commitment to spiritual disciplines must be at the core of our relationship with God. One of the disciplines I have been trying to embrace more fully is confession. It’s not just about recognizing where we have gone wrong; it’s about how we have chosen to live our lives independently from God. It’s about whether we truly want God to be part of our lives. The absence of meaningful confession will damage our freedom to experience intimacy with God. "Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy." - Proverbs 28:13
Read more

Sept 4th, 2024: Praying in Images

Image
It has been a rough few days. Living in immense pain does not allow us much energy to think about anything. I ended up praying in images, and not many words came out of my mouth. Most of the images were of people I know. God knew that I was praying for them as their faces came to my mind. I did not need to mention the circumstances or situations of their lives—He knows. My heart was at peace as I ended my days with these images. He will take care of my body, and I know this because I was able to get some sleep. Tomorrow is in His hands.
Read more

Oct 1st, 2022: Be With Those Who Suffer

Image
  Listening to a young woman who shared her experience of being raped repeatedly by a family member for over four years as a teenager made my heart ache. The man who did that was a leader of a church. He was imprisoned for seven months and released. He was her stepfather. Her mother chose to pick him over her after his release. Her life has changed forever. She had to go to a foster home. Her foster parents helped her with her restoration and her faith in God. Her supervisor at work asked me to see her because someone at work was inappropriate toward her. That triggered many emotions within her. I did not expect the story I heard from her. The meeting took longer than I thought, and it was toward the end of the day. She kept talking about her anger and the pain she felt when men treated her like a subject. I knew that the best I could do was to listen. She told me she had not been able to tell anyone as much as with me. God reminded me of the true calling of being a pastor.
Read more