Persimmon Peeling - Day 1 (November 13th)
5 Days After Persimmon Peeling (November 18th)
Even though persimmons (곶감) shrink and wrinkle as they continuously release their moisture to become plump and sweet, they strive, unseen, under the warm sun, sacrificing their form for the sweetness that will develop in their flesh.
Similarly, God's children need to endure hardship and perseverance to bear the fruit of life, a path that leads to a life of hope. Those who embrace this hope have already experienced God's love. Indeed, without the experience of new birth, it is impossible to experience the light and life, that is, God's love given by the Lord (Romans 5:3-5).
This life is the reality (conviction) of what we hope for, the evidence of things unseen; it is a life of faith. Such people will realize that everything in the world was created by God's word, and that everything we see is not merely what it appears to be (Hebrews 11:1-3). For this faith, even though it is painful, I must lay down and abandon the thoughts and desires of my physical body today.
This life is true living; it is also experiencing freedom. For those around me who are bound by the darkness of this world, living a life stained by the lust of the flesh and eyes and the pride of life, a life as a channel of light is surely a life possessing priceless treasure, is it not?
It seems that now is not the time to only talk about Jesus' story within the church, but also the stories of the Old Testament prophets. Prophets came to this earth and delivered God's message of warning, but the people of that time failed to listen and obey.
Now is the time to live a life of obedience, step by step, by seeing, reading, and holding fast to the word of life in my place.
Before the Lord's sudden arrival, we must be like the five wise virgins who filled their lamps with oil (the Word) and kept them burning.
November 18, 2024, Cham Gil
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