Miracle Talk(8-26-2020)

One day, I was praying in the sanctuary and reading the Bible. And there was something that newly drew my attention. In Mark 11, Jesus was passing by a town named Bethany and he became hungry. Seeing a fig tree in leaf from far way, he went to see if it had any figs on it. But he found no figs, only leaves, because it was not the right season for figs. So far I understood story. But the next verse looked odd to me when Jesus said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And Jesus’ disciples heard him say this. Sure enough, next morning as Jesus was passing by with his disciples, they saw the fig tree dry and dead, even to the roots. Peter remembered the tree and said to Jesus, “Teacher, look! The fig tree you cursed is dry and dead!” And I expected some possible answers Jesus could have replied like “Yeah…I was upset when I was hungry and saw it had no fruit on it. So I cursed and you know that I have power in my words” Still, it doesn’t make sense that our Lord said such a curse to a tree that doesn’t need to bear much fruit because it was the RIGHT SEASON for figs. Why did you that, Jesus?  

But this is what Jesus said, “Have faith in God. I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, fall into the sea.’ And if you have no doubts in your mind and believe that what you say will happen, God will do it for you. So I tell you to believe that you have received the things you ask for in prayer, and God will give them to you.”

Yes, Jesus was teaching his disciples how to pray by using a fig tree as an example. He is not eco-vandal. In Jesus’ teaching on prayer, there seems to be a prerequisite when it comes to prayer. We’ve got to believe first! Specifically there should be no doubts in our mind and believe what we ask for will surely happen. That’s the precedence. Then, Jesus said God will do it for us. I don’t know about you. But sometimes I found myself being unsure when I pray. I pray earnestly and desperately. But I wasn’t sure. It was like in my early fishing attitude which was timid and uncertain. One day in my early fishing days, I went for fishing, I only took my fishing pole, and didn’t bring a bucket. And Jay, my wife asked me, “Why do you not take your bucket?” “Well, I don’t know I am going to catch a fish today,” I said. Because I didn’t have any expectation that I might catch a fish, even before my first casting. Even And you can guess what I caught! Nothing.

Sometime, this is how I prayed to God. I wasn’t bold enough to imagine what my prayer will bring about. And this is how we pray to God for our church. We can’t draw a clear picture of what the prayer will be like once it is being answered. After this new insight, I changed the way I pray in that morning. Seeing the empty sanctuary, I began to imagine people sitting on the pews by pews to follow Christ and worship their God with all they are and all they do. I said aloud, “Let there will be a revival!”

Let us believe even before we ask that God can do anything in our lives and in our church. God wants us to be prepare to use the power of prayer. It's like having a miracle talk with God. When we believe and grow our faith strong, God gives us a vision and plan that we can boldly ask God to make it happen. And Jesus promised God will do it for us! For this prayer, I will continue to imagine and believe what I pray for. Will you join me? 

Pastor Heewon

One at a time...

(7-29-2020)

Greetings to you in the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ!

 

A few days ago, I noticed that there was a lamp outside in the front yard in the parsonage I live. It has not been worked since I moved into the parsonage. Maybe for a long time. I thought to myself, “I can give it a try to fix it.” With my small tool box, I went out to the yard and tried to repair it. I looked inside the old lamp and there was spider web covered all around in it. I got rid of the webs and pulled the old bulb out and put a new one. And it did work! A new light shined beautifully in the front yard in the evening. And then I heard a whisper deep inside of me, “That is what you are supposed to do, Heewon. Do one at a time. Start with something small you can do for this church” Then, I felt a deep peace in my heart. I was thankful for the church I serve and the people who are serving with me. It was like God-moment to me. 


In the Bible, we can see that God provides and prepares God’s servants for God’s kingdom. When Moses finished his service, God prepared Joshua. When Ezra initiated the work of rebuilding the broken wall of Jerusalem and its temple, God prepared Nehemiah to continue the ongoing work.

As a new pastor at New Life, at first I was almost overwhelmed by many thoughts for the new ministry I began. But that night, I realized that God is with me and God wants me to do from small things that I can joyfully be committed to and of course it is not me of us to make things happen or change. God does, not us. 


Dear sisters and brothers, your being in this church is important. My time of being as a pastor is important. Because it is our God who brought us together for the work and mission that God assigned us to do at this time, even the time would more likely be trials and tribulations. What we should learn and remember is that God has different ideas and perspectives than ours that are for our ultimate good, salvation and for the love that God has for us no matter what the circumstances are. So, instead of holding the attitude of passively waiting for the day on which this pandemic is over with the vaccine to cope with the virus, we have to learn how to live into it. So that our walk with God would continue to bring us joy and purpose in our lives. The first chapter of 1 Peter concludes by reaffirming our new identity,

“You have been born anew, not of perishable but of imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God. For

“All flesh is like grass and

all its glory like the flower of grass.    

The grass withers, and the flower falls,           

but the word of the Lord endures forever."” (1 Peter 1:23-24)


By the power of the resurrected Jesus our Lord, we are the people of being born anew! I am happy to be in this walk with you that God has called us together at Harlem United Methodist Church. Things have been changed differently and even forcing us to be changed. But our genuine being as who we are and whose we are is not changed. They are eternal through the living and enduring word of God. So, let us be the church and do what Jesus commanded us to do! Take care of yourself and take care of others. May God bless you.


Pastor Heewon Kim