Reflection: What Is Our Response to Calamities?

Each time we hear more news from Myanmar, the death toll from the cyclone continues to rise. It is now in the tens of thousand but some even predict that it might exceed one million. Over this past weekend, a tornado ripped through the Midwest in parts of Oklahoma and Missouri resulting in the loss of 22 lives.  How are we, as Christians, to respond when we hear about these staggering losses of lives from either natural disasters or human evil? When there was a massive flooding in New Orleans caused by Katrina, we heard some pastors saying that it was God’s way of punishing them for their sins.

In Luke 13:4-5, Jesus was asked to explain the reason for the fate of “the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifice.” Without reading on, what would you have predicted Jesus’ response to the question might be? My prediction would have been that Jesus would answer in the most compassionate and sensitive way and attribute the reasons to the evilness of Pilate and that God would repay the evil act. However, Jesus did not response in the way I predicted he would or in the way that I would as a sensitive person. But rather, his response is quite shocking.

First, Jesus dispels any notion that might exist in the questioners that the Galileans were any more sinful than other people were because of the manner of their death. In other words, he is saying, “Don’t you dare think that because of the way they died that they were any worse sinners than you are.” In addition to the atrocious act of human evil, he lumps the accident (the falling of the Siloam Tower) which took the lives of 18 people together as events that demand the same response. These are Jesus’ words:

“Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them; do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” (Luke 13:2-5)

Jesus’ response seems to say that we ought not judge those who die in these man-made or natural calamities about their sinfulness but rather we ought to REPENT. The response assumes that these so called calamities are not surprising from God’s point of view because everyone is a sinner who deserves such death. It is the exception that we are spared from these calamities. It is God’s restraining grace that He keeps us from tornadoes or cyclones. However, these calamities are reminders to us, to repent from our ways of trivializing, defaming, and belittling God in our lives. So let us be reminded through these disasters to repent and turn toward God and His mercy.

Father, we confess that daily we fall short of your glory. We do not love you with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength. And yet You withhold your rightful judgment on us because of your mercy and grace. We cling to the blood and work of Jesus. Thank you for reminding us to repent through these disasters. Lord we weep with those who have lost their loved ones. Would you draw them to you through this time and turn this tragic event into good for your glory. In Jesus’ precious name. Amen.

Some News and Thoughts about Japan and Marriage

A Japanese Government paper revealed this week that by 2050, Japan’s workforce will decrease by third of its current size. Japan has one of the lowest birth rate and the highest lifespan–a bad combination for a society which must support an unprecendented number of retirees on the smallest population of workers. It is some of the serious economic troubles in the making unless the shortage of workforce is compensated through other means. The paper encourages improved child care services and more flexibility for women to return from maternity leave. Another solution is to bring in foreigners. This is very common among other developed countries (UK, France, Canada, etc.) that face similar challenges. However, the Japanese government who is known to be very picky about granting visas, will not consider allowing massive immigration of foreigners.

Another related study found that one out of four couples in Japan did not have sex in the last year. About 37% of couples in their 50s do not have any sexual relations. These findings are alarming and confirm our belief that marriages in Japan are failing. They also explain the low birthrate. However, this is not uniquely a Japanese phenomenon. If we look at any secular, prosperous countries in Europe, their birthrate is very low, and marriage has a low place in people’s values. You hear about in Germany, UK, and Scandinavian countries where people are simply not marrying. They are cohabitating but not marrying. It makes sense for atheists to hold marriage in low regard. Why should they be “locked” into one relationship when you get taxed by the government and have to raise kids in expensive and dangerous society? Without a doubt, as less people come together in marriage covenant and raise family, the less stable the society will be.

Marriage is God’s creation to reflect the perfect relationship of His Son and His bride, namely the Church (Eph. 5). It is God’s design for not only a man and a wife but also for the greater good of the society. Thankfully, U.S. is the only developed country with high birthrate and increasing population from within and without. Despite all the divorces, people still get married and remarried, attesting to the high value of marriage among Americans, with the exception of the Hollywood crowd.

Celebrating the Big TWO!

We celebrated Emmanuel’s second birthday on the 13^th at the nearby Chuck E. Cheese surrounded by a throng of other birthday parties. Coincidently, that day is also Glen’s (Sung’s 2nd brother-in-law) birthday as well. It’s his thirty-second. So we lit the “2” candle first and sang the Birthday Song for Emmanuel. But before the song was over, Josiah blew out the candle in excitement. We then lit up the candles again for Uncle Glen. Sung’s the other sister Jane, her husband Kevin and their daughter Caitlyn (3 years old) came from Phoenix to attend a wedding for the weekend so they were able to join the birthday celebration.

 

Emmanuel always answered, “two” for over a year, whenever we asked him, “How old are you?” He had picked it up from Josiah when he was two.  Emmanuel can now answer with confidence that he is really “TWO!” He was so happy to receive the birthday presents especially the big dump truck and the dinosaur book, thanks to Aunt Jackie and Uncle Glen. He is starting to learn the names of all the dinosaurs just like his brother.  

 

Lord, we thank you that you took a six-week premature baby and turned him into a healthy, head-butting little bundle of joy who often picks fights with his brother and utters the loudest “Amen” whenever we pray. You have blessed him with much energy and fearlessness. Let they be rooted in the Lord. May Emmanuel continue to grow in favor with You and men; and may his life testify that You are indeed with us. For Christ’s sake, Amen!

A Dose of Pacific Ocean…at Redondo Beach, CA

We took a drive out to Redondo Beach on St. Patrick’s Day. It was a beautiful day but it was a bit too windy. The boys and we went to the pier and felt the power of the Pacific winds. It was a great day to enjoy a cup of New England clam chowder. Can you feel the love between the brothers? 🙂

“From Marveling to Burning”: A Reflection on the Resurrection of Our Lord

As we celebrated the resurrection of our Lord, I was asked to share a short message for the Easter Sunrise Service at a local park.  So I had a chance to meditate on the following passage as I prepared for the message:

Luke 24 (ESV)

12But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened.  13That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, 14and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. 16 But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17And he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad. 18Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” 19And he said to them, “What things?” And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. 21But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. 22Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, 23and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. 24 Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.” 25And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” 27And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.  28So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, 29but they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them. 30When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. 32They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?“ 

This chapter provides an insight into what the Disciples thought and felt about Christ’s death and what the overriding responses were at the news of the empty tomb. “Marveling” is the word that seems to sum up the general feelings of Christ’s Disciples and other followers.  They were astonished and perplexed by the strange account of women who heard from angels telling them that Jesus has risen. Peter needed to see it for himself so he ran all the way to the grave only to find the tomb empty and the linen clothes used to wrap the Lord’s body.  While they marveled at these findings, judging from the Disciples’ reactions, they were more in “disbelief” rather than in celebration of the Lord’s resurrection. However in verse 32, the two disciples whom Jesus appeared to on their way to Emmaus confessed, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road..?” We see a radical transformation in their hearts. This narrative of the two disciples on their way to Emmaus provides a microcosmic view into what had happened to the Eleven Apostles and the others. Luke provides an account of two disciples who were most likely on their way back home to Emmaus. Though the narrative mentions the name Cleopas, these two are not mentioned anywhere else in the Bible. They had an intimate knowledge into what the Apostles thought and what they were hoping in Christ as seen in verse 21. They also had the information about the women’s encounter with the angels earlier that morning. They too were marveled by what had happened and “discussed” everything that had happened among themselves as they walked. It was at this moment that Jesus appeared.  There are two steps that took place before their hearts burn within them:

1. When God opened their eyes (v. 27 & 45)

There are two observations that we can make from this first step. First, our hearts are veiled and blinded. Yes, even the believers’ hearts are still blinded. When we were unbelievers, we were spiritually dead (Eph. 2:1) but after we accepted Christ, we came alive. However, this does not mean that all the blinding effects of our sinful flesh are taken away all at once. The process of sanctification will gradually purify our hearts to see the whole truth and the beauty of the Lord. Paul affirms this truth “2 Cor. 3:14~16 14But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. 15Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts.” While this passage is specifically referring to the unsaved Jews, the veil over hearts’ applies to everyone. When we first accept Christ, our spiritual eyes are opened to the glory of God but it is only faint until our spiritual eyes are awakened gradually to the fullness of His glory.   The second observation is: Only God can remove the veil over our hearts. It is Jesus who removed the veil over the Disciples’ hearts. Man cannot will to remove the veil any more than a dead man make himself rise again from the dead. Verse 45 says that God opened their minds to understand. This is such an important truth. We must trust and rely on the Lord to understand and know Him. I used to think that it was God’s grace that allow me to be saved and that it’s up to me on how much I am sanctified thereafter. But as I study the Bible more closely, I began to realize that it’s the same grace that first saved me that will allow me to know and love Him. Just like the Amazing Grace that says, “His grace will lead me home.” God will get His glory for not only saving me but also sanctifying me.  

2. When they see and savor the glory of Christ in the Whole Scripture and the Gospel in fullness…(v. 27 & 44)

This is such a precious truth. We often turn to the four gospels to read about Jesus and His teaching but these verse reveal that it is the whole Scripture that we need to see Jesus. He was not just an afterthought that God had when the human race fell and needed a savior. It was in fact His plan to center the whole human history around His Son. Christ is weaved in and out of the fabric of the OT history. OT is full of Christ’s shadow and image in the narratives, the laws, the ceremony rituals, prophecies, and even the Psalms. In fact, the full meaning of OT books cannot be grasped apart from Christ. Keep in mind that Jesus’ Jewish followers grew up studying and memorizing the OT Scriptures and yet they never saw the glory of Christ in them.  One of the main reasons that the Jews reject Christ as the Messiah is that “nothing” has changed for the Jews. Most of the Messianic passages in the OT portray him as someone with political power who will reign like a king, just like the way the two disciples on the way to Emmaus shared. They do not interpret the suffering servant in Isaiah 9 as the Messiah but as the image of Israel.   Paul writes in 2 Cor. 3:18, “We all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.”  Our “beholding the glory of the Lord” leads to our lives being transformed into more sanctified and holier lives. How do we “behold” our Lord? We see Him most vividly in the Scriptures, although Paul says that we will see Him face to face in 1 Cor. 13.  Notice that I’ve added not only “see” but also “savor.” This is important because we have many knowledge and information which we do not treasure or value. I did not particularly jump for joy when I found out the fact that the Earth is round. I wonder how much the fact of our Lord’s resurrection affects our affection for Him. Knowing is not the same is treasuring because James tells us that even the demons know that God exists and shutter at the fact. They have the knowledge but it affects them exactly the opposite way. They hate it.The Burning Hearts

When our hearts burn, it is not just a warm and fuzzy feeling in the heart. The word, “burning” paints a picture of fire that consumes its object. We don’t simply say, “hmm…that’s interesting,” and go back to what we were doing. But it causes us to take a different course of action. The heart being the seat of our emotion, affection, and will, directs us to take a radical turn for Christ. The two disciples turned around and returned to the eleven Apostles and shared what had happened to them. Jesus then appeared to the rest and showed himself as the Risen Lord. We know that the lives of Jesus’ Apostles were no longer the same. A burning heart no longer fears men. The worldly appetite is replaced with godly appetite.

 May the Lord open our eyes and cause us to behold the beauty of our Lord in the Scriptures and cause our hearts to burn within us for His glory!

Welcome Abby!

The Lord has blessed my youngest sister, Jackie, and her husband, Glenn, with a beautiful baby girl named Abigail or “Abby.” She was born on March 3rd at 11:30am at 6lb.6oz. Having only two boys, seeing a baby girl is definitely different. She is so precious and tender. She looks just like her daddy, which her mom is happy about. Thankfully she is eating and sleeping well, and gaining weight.

Seeing a baby girl makes Nicole want to have a third child. I must admit that it’s nice to hold her time to time and smell the irresistible baby scent which has been long gone from our boys. But it’s also nice to give the baby back to her parents when she cries. We’re praying and leaving it to the Lord regarding the third child.

“Lord, we ask you to bless Abby with an undying love for you and the wisdom of Abigail in the Bible. May she grow into a godly woman of God who fears the Lord and cultivate an inner beauty that does not fade with time. We also pray for her parents that they may bring her up according to Your ways. Amen. ” 

Living Out of Boxes

(Above is the picture of our garage)

While it’s so nice to have moved back to LA to live with my family, there is a bit of inconvenience in living out of boxes. The garage is full of our stuff since we moved into a house where my mom, sister (Jackie) her husband (Glenn) were living in. And a week after our move, my sister had her first baby, Abby. So we’re definitely enjoying the full house. They are planning to purchase a home and move out as soon as they find the right house.

Two families living in one house causes you to live with less and learn to adjust to one another’s needs. Believe it or not, this kind of multiple family living a single family dwelling is quite common among low income families who cannot afford housing in L.A. We are one of them 🙂 We are thankful that this too is a good training for our life of missions. Four of us sleep in one room on futons.

God’s Serendipitous Blessings

Do you know that God hears our grumbling? 

On our last Sunday in Bartlesville, our spirits were down. Knowing that this was going to be the last Sunday we’ll be worshipping at the church and that we won’t be seeing many familiar faces for a while, we were sad. So we expected people to take some time to say “goodbye” and maybe even invite us out to lunch after the service, but for some reason only one family acknowledged our pending departure and everyone else seemed “indifferent.” We couldn’t help but to feel disappointed and grumbled to ourselves that maybe we won’t be missed after all.

 We went to our favorite Chinese Buffet (well, it’s more like better of the two available in town) which we’ve been regulars for the last year and half to eat our blues away. As we filled our tummies with the last plate of crabs, an unfamiliar lady walked up to our table and said, “Let me introduce myself.” It turned out to be the wife of a gentleman whom I met last week at the church. There was a prayer time for our family during the service as a way of sending us out as missionaries to Japan. He had come up to me after the service with his daughter letting me know that he has a son in college who has a great interest in Japan and is majoring in Japanese. We had a brief conversation and he wished us well. A week later, here she was introducing herself. Her husband and daughter joined us few minutes later. They had been on their way out and had spotted us in the restaurant. I thought it was going to be a “Hi-Bye” kind of encounter but it was to be so much more…a time of uplifting conversation for over thirty minutes. They stood by our table the whole time and genuinely wanted to know us even though we were on our way out of town. The family had recently relocated to Bartlesville from L.A. and was looking for a church to plug in.  Here was a family whom we just met and yet because we share a love for Christ we were able to have a fellowship. They even expressed their desire to support us and gave us their information. Both Nicole and I were certain that God had heard our grumbling and had steered them to our table. We left the restaurant feeling so uplifted in our spirit and thanked the Lord for turning our sulking into praises. (Thank you, Mike and Lois!) As if that wasn’t enough, later that evening we were invited to a dinner by a family whom we did not expect. We were able to take a break from eating out and enjoy the delicious homecooked meal. (Thank you Joe &  Cindy!)

I enjoy blogging because I get to re-count and re-live the blessings. God not only hears our prayers but also hears our grumbles. I love that! I have a little glimpse of understanding why David wrote so many imprecatory psalms and why they were left in the Bible. Whether they are small disappointments or great anger, if we channel them to the Lord, He’ll take care of them. I know a professor at Talbot who during spiritual encounter sessions would direct the evil spirits to Jesus. He said that it was the best way he knew how to handle them. I thought that it was weird at the time but I think it’s wise. Our Lord knows what to do with both the good and the bad.

I’ve also learned what an impact a genuine caring conversation can have on downcast souls.  It’s like rain on parched soil. This took place because they took the time to slow down instead of a “Hi-Bye” encounter. This is something I’ve learned from being in OK. People seem to make more time for this than those in big cities. 

Josiah playing his guitar

Revisiting the Thoughts on Home…

   

As we prepare our move back to LA, I was reflecting back on the topic of home again. And then I was reminded about the article I wrote about 2 years ago when we just moved to Bartlesville, OK.  Here we are once again changing the place where we call “home.” It’s amazing how much we amass over just 2 short years and how much time, money, and energy were spent.  I hope you enjoy the article and meditate on your real home:

“Have You Found Your Home?” (April, 2006)

It has been less than a month since my family packed up our belongings and made a big move to a small town called Bartlesville–40 miles north of Tulsa, Oklahoma. My company has asked me to start a new project in a rural city providing after-school learning service. By God’s grace, we found a house to rent that has funky green carpets in the bedrooms and spacious tile floors in the rest of the home. It has a backyard big enough to set up a volleyball court. And there in the backyard is something you don’t see in most homes in the West Coast—a storm shelter. Even though it’s not our house, my wife and I are happy with the upgrade from a small 800 sq. ft apartment in Seattle to a 1600 sq. ft. house in Bartlesville with a slight decrease in rent. It is our new home.  

Home is one of the universal longings of mankind. No matter who it is, the word “home” evokes special feelings dear to his or her heart. It is a place of warmth, comfort, familiarity, and security. The Bible also has examples of God’s people seeking a home. David, in his Psalm 23, ends with a sincere prayer, “I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Peter, James, and John, during Jesus’ transfiguration, asked if they can build shelters up there since it is so good to be there. Whenever people visit beautiful places near waters or up in the mountains, they often think about building a home there. Nowadays with soaring real estate market, home has taken up additional values, as a means of investment and security for future.  

Since I left Rowland Heights over 4 years ago, I’ve been thinking more deeply about the subject of home. “Home is where your heart is.” We often hear this cliché reminding us that home is where our loved ones are. Some time ago, I thought more deeply about this cliché in light of the Scriptures and asked myself, “Is my home truly where my heart is?” I concluded that it couldn’t be because my heart is so fickle and inclined to the things of this world.  So I turned to the Bible and found a passage that directly speaks on the topic. It is in no other than Hebrews 11 also known as “The Faith Chapter.” I want to examine the verses 8 through 16 and share some truths I have been pierced by: 

1)     We must leave home to find home. In other words, we must first be strangers before we can find our home. Heb.11:8-9 refers to Abraham who left his home by God’s calling. These verses point out that Abraham left “even though he did not know where he was going.” He is originally from Ur, a place of his father and relatives. His father Terah moved the family to Haran and he was buried there. Based on the cliché’s definition, Ur should be his home but God had a different plan. It had to start with Abraham leaving his filial home. While I am fully aware of the fact that everything Abraham did does not necessarily apply to us, we can find that this is not the only incidence that God called His servant away from home. We find that Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, David, Daniel, Jesus, the Apostles, and Paul have all left their home. 

What is it about leaving home that just about everyone God used mightily in the Bible had to experience? Just as much a home is a nurturing and comforting place, it also takes a powerful hold of our heart. Since comfort and security are some of the most basic human needs, they root deeply into our psyche and compete with our allegiance and obedience to God. Until we leave the comfort of our family and friends, we will never experience whole dependence on God. God will always have to share His place in your heart with the things that provide security and comfort. Therefore, it is not surprising that God frequently calls His servants out of their home. Hebrews author highlights Abraham’s faith in God which enabled him to leave without knowing the destination. This kind of reckless faith brings even greater glory to God because Abraham trusted in God Himself more than the lack of knowledge of the destination or other factors that can provide security. God alone was enough reason for him to leave. He alone must be our security and comfort.  

Another value of leaving home is that we become strangers in a foreign place. We know from verse 9 that Abraham became “like a stranger in a foreign land” which meant giving up his nice home and land for a life in tents on the road. For a sojourner, mobility is the most important element in the journey. This means he must neither amass too much possession nor commit to any long-term affairs. God wants His people to remember that we are strangers this world and focus on the journey. Peter echoes the importance of God’s people remaining as strangers in this world (1 Pet. 1:1, 11 & 2:17). Moreover, as strangers, we can be a blessing onto those outside of our social circle. When God called Abraham in Genesis 12, His great promise was that Abraham will be blessed in order that he can be a blessing onto all the people of the world. God’s blessing always has a purpose so much greater than an individual. He longs to bless the world for His great name’s sake. This is the explicit reason (Gen. 12:2-3) God called Abraham to be a stranger in the land of Canaan. One can summarize that the whole Bible is a story of God’s fulfilling of His great promise to Abraham as a blessing to all the nations.   

2) The second important truth is: God is the builder of our home. The writer points out in verse 10 that God is “the architect and builder.” He plays the two critical roles in building a home—designing and building. The designer or the architect visualizes all aspects of the home before single brick is laid. The builder takes the drawings and brings it to life. Not only is God the designer but also the builder of our home. He builds it brick by brick. How often have we thought that once God give us a vision, then we can start on it with our might? This passage clearly teaches that God not only gives visions but also carries them through as the builder.  An interesting fact is that even after Abraham had arrived and lived in Canaan the Promised Land, it did not seem like the Promised Land that is supposed to be flowing with milk and honey as described in Exodus. In fact, it was far from it.  We see that Abraham left the land several times without any reservation to neighboring countries because of famine.  The Promised Land or our home may not be a place of prosperity as we often expect. There may be times of strife and pain but God is the architect and builder. He builds different homes for different purposes. These homes can range from a mansion to a rundown shack or even tents. God gives us the freedom to choose. You notice that Abraham and his family lived under tents. He willingly left his home for tent because he knew that God had a different home in mind.  

3) Lastly, our home is not of this world. The Hebrews writer reminds the readers who were under severe persecutions that there is a city God has prepared for them. Abraham and all those who lived by faith knew that they were strangers to the earth and that God has prepared a place for them in heaven. Because of this faith that chooses a life of a stranger in tents over a life of comfort in mansions, the writer writes, “God is not ashamed to be called their God.”  A life that chooses God over any other comforts and security of this life shows the true worth of our great God. That is why God is pleased to be called their God.  Is God pleased with our faith that reflects His infinite worth or is He ashamed by our unbelief that devalues His worth and glory?  

In light of these truths, let me suggest a new definition of home: Home is where God’s heart and my heart meet. It’s not enough for God’s heart for me to be in one place when my heart is not. A good example is Jonah whose heart was far away from Nineveh where God’s heart was.  Similarly, it is not enough for my heart for me to be in a certain place when God’s heart for me is elsewhere. Both hearts must meet regardless of the location. I do not claim that there is necessarily only one place that God’s heart is for me. He has revealed enough of His desires for us to know where His heart is for you and me. God has a home already designed for us to find and dwell. Are we searching for that home or are we too busy living to buy our dream home? One day we must all stand before God and answer to this simple question: “How did you prepare yourself for the heavenly home?” My prayer is that all of us will continue to live a life of a sojourner on our way to home—traveling light, holding onto things loosely, and ready to move when our Master calls. Brothers and sisters, as Steven Curtis Chapman sang, “We are not home, yet!”