Pastor's Midweek Message

Midweek Message w/o April 28, 2024

How often do you say Thank You?  I have been saying Thank You quite often lately, all day long actually.  Being in a hospital with my Dad for weeks, I got to experience what some of the medical staff do every day.  I’ve learned that I cannot be a medical person whether a doctor, a nurse, or any of the workers.  The way they work, they have to be called by God to do what they do.  I have developed a much greater and deeper appreciation for them.  I appreciate them so much.  They are truly God-sent angels.  Praise the LORD for them.  There are many other things that I am not capable of doing, don’t want to do, or do not enjoy doing.  For example, they are rocket scientists, electricians, plumbers, trash collectors, teachers, especially who work with children of special needs, custodians, politicians, exterminators, etc.  I cannot or do not want to be in those careers.  However, we need them all.  Thank God, we have them.  

     I’m sure they appreciate my presence here in this world as well as I appreciate them.  We are all needed.  We all have been called to do many different things.  The Bible tells us, “We have many parts in one body, and all these parts have different functions” (Romans 12:4).  We call the Church, the body of Christ.  According to the Word of God, we are one body in Christ.  Though we are one body, we all have “different parts”, which means we all have “different functions.”  This tells us that it is okay that we all do not know how to do the same thing.  We are supposed to be different.  We are all supposed to have different functions.  You do not want too many people doing the same thing all the time.  What will happen if a school is filled with teachers only?  Korean people say that if there are too many captains in a ship, that ship will climb up the mountain instead of sailing on the water.  I’m glad we have different members with different talents.  For example, I love our choir made up of an amazing director, pianist, and singers.  I love our Church sanctuary decorated so beautifully by talented people.  I love the ones who love working with children.  We have wonderful men and women who work behind the scenes for different events, which require a lot of work.  I’ve learned one thing that connects us closer together is our appreciation for each other.  

     How would you feel about working with someone who complains about you all the time?  I can tell you that it is not a pleasant experience.  Loving such a complainer is like doing chores that you absolutely do not want to do.  Loving someone who does not appreciate you and constantly complains about you is hard work.  Imagine being married to someone like that.  That will be a rough marriage and even a painful one.  Everyone will be so much happier if we can appreciate one another instead.  People who appreciate you are like jewels in your life.  When they appreciate you, they show that they care about you and love you.  When you are surrounded by those who appreciate you and care for you, life is good.  You can endure through difficult times much easier.  You become a more positive and grateful person.  Being around those people will make you humble before them and before the LORD.  Imagine a Church full of those grateful and caring people.  Let us be that Church consistently, every day.  Before you start complaining, think of something positive that person does for you and for the whole Church.  Remember when Jesus healed “ten men who had leprosy,” (Luke 17:12) yet only one person came back to Jesus to say Thank you!  Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed?  Where are the other nine?” (Luke 17:17).  One who came back to thank Jesus not only received a physical healing but a spiritual healing as well.  Jesus said, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well” (Luke 17:19).  Let us become the grateful Church where everyone who comes in feels appreciation and love.  Since “God Is love,” everyone will feel the presence of the LORD through our love whenever they come into our Church (1 John 4:8).  Help people to experience God’s loving presence through your love in Christ.  They will all know that our God Is Good!  Praise the LORD!  Amen.

Pastor Hae Rin