I am reading through the book of 1 Samuel for my personal devotional time these days. Unlike the M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan ‘homework’ that I feel obligated to complete each day, I enjoy the freedom to be able to read and meditate upon as few or many verses at a time, waiting on God to ‘speak to me’ through His Word.  In 1 Samuel Chapter 6, the Philistines, who had captured and kept the ark of the Lord for seven months, frantically try to send it back to the Israelite territory because God afflicted the Philistines everywhere the ark was moved to.  After consulting with their priests, they get a new cart and hitch two cows that have recently calved and never been yoked.  They put the ark of the Lord on the cart and send it on its way.  If the cart reached the intended Israelite territory despite these ‘unqualified’ cows, they would know that it was not a coincidence but the hand of God that has caused the great disaster upon them. 
The cows go straight up to the destination without turning to the right or to the left, but the Bible also records that they lowed all the way.  This part really got to me.  Because I am a mother, I could relate to these cows- how sad they must have been to have their calves stripped away from them.  In addition, this was their first time being yoked and hitched to a cart.  Indeed they suffered greatly both emotionally and physically.  And for all the suffering these cows endured, I expected a happy ending for them.  The Bible, however, does not say that the grateful Israelites freed the cows, allowing them to find their way back to their calves. 
Not even close.  The Israelites were so happy to get the ark of the Lord back that they chopped up the wood of the cart and sacrificed the cows as a burnt offering to the Lord!  Instead of all the other available cows, two never-been yoked, nursing cows were taken away from their calves to be used by God, and what do they get for their sacrifice?  They become a burnt offering!  I was furious.  What kind of justice is this, Lord? 
As I sat there in my anger, God began to ‘speak to me,’ not in an audible voice, but by revealing His heart to me:  
God:  “Do you know what life is like for cows?”
Me :  “Eat, poop, work, sleep, & repeat. They eventually get killed and eaten by people.” 
God:   “Then which is better – to be slaughtered to fill man’s stomach or to be offered as a
 burnt offering to the Lord to renew the relationship between God and sinful man?
Me:  “. . .”
God: “It wasn’t a sacrifice, but a privilege for those cows to be chosen by Me.”
God revealed to me that it was not about the cows, but about me. I felt enraged by the final destiny of the cows because I saw myself in them.  In ministry I often feel like an unqualified cow hitched to a cart. But I am able to keep going, telling myself, “Hang in there. You will receive a great reward for all your sacrifices.”   There is nothing wrong with this statement of faith except what we often consider a great reward, such as successful ministry, recognition from men, or financial security, may not be what God has in mind. God doesn’t want to give us just good things, but the very best according to His glorious riches and grace.   “Thank you, Lord, for the privilege of being a burnt offering for you.  May you be honored and glorified, not through what I do for you, but through how I trust you no matter what.”

From Pastor Sara’s Heart 
August 10, 2014

Sometimes it’s the simple gestures that mean a lot. Last Saturday I went to get a couple bibles in my office that we keep for gifts. There weren’t any more there but then it dawned on me that we had last used a bunch of books from our shelves, including the shrink-wrapped gift bibles, for the Christmas Banquet decorations. If you recall the lobby ceiling was decorated with that sheer curtain drapery centerpiece. The delicate fabric was not pinned to the ceiling but was weighted down with books on the ceiling overhang. I had just assumed all of the books had been returned afterwards. But I still wasn’t sure if the bibles were still up there in the lobby ceiling.
So I just happened to see Kim Il Doo Jip Sa Nim (Deacon) in the hallway at church and I asked him if he by chance happened to know if the bibles were still up there in the lobby ceiling from the banquet. To my surprise he had noticed they were actually still up there from when he had changed lobby lightbulbs.
So once he confirmed they were still there I went off looking for one of the ladders to fetch the bibles on my own. I wasn’t able to track down a ladder and a short while later Il Doo Jip Sa Nim asked me if I got the bibles down from the ceiling. I told him no not yet. So at that very moment he dropped what he was doing and he and another KC (Korean Congregation) gentleman went and got the big 12-foot tall ladder and hauled it into the lobby. Then one of them climbed up the ladder and began to retrieve the bibles for me.
I really appreciated his gesture to stop what he was doing and go out of his way to do this for me. I wasn’t expecting nor even asking for his assistance and besides, it was odd and a little embarrassing to be asking him about stacks of bibles left up high. And yet he didn’t hesitate in assisting. This from a man whom, you may not be aware, sustained a serious back injury about 2 years ago as a result of a ladder accident at church. The three of us had a good laugh at how bizarre it was that they were climbing up a tall ladder to retrieve books still squirreled away in the lobby ceiling.
So I walked away from that incident last Saturday grateful to God (and Deacon Il Doo) fully appreciative that their gesture was not out of duty or obligation but simply because they had a heart to do it. It reminded me that gestures such as this, however large or small, make such a difference towards the greater harmony and cooperation of this local church body.
The English and Korean congregations are usually each busy tending to their respective ministries. I think it sometimes reduces the opportunities for meaningful fellowship and interaction between the two congregations. But even though there are differences in language and culture between KC and EC, nevertheless here in the midst of those differences there are congregation members who recognize that we all love the Lord regardless of culture and can work together as one body in Christ. It’s a comforting thought imagining how God will use us to further his kingdom when we have this perspective. Amen to that.

From Pastor Mark’s Heart
August 3, 2014