My family had a very special day this past Wednesday because my parents became proud citizens of the United States of America. Our family emigrated from Korea in 1996 and it took about 17 years for my parents to finally to obtain their citizenship. I wish I could post a picture of them holding up their citizenship certificate to let you know how bright their faces were at their swearing-in ceremony. Many of our EC congregation members probably don't have this special experience of obtaining citizenship but all my siblings and I went through it and we know how difficult the process can be. My parents had to go through a special process of applying for a special exception to bring in an interpreter and have testing in Korean. With all the complications they had to go through even during their interview, including switching out my mom's translator, I was very proud of my parents for studying and prepping for the last six months and passing their interviews and tests on their first try.
I am thankful that my kids didn't have to go through any of what I had to go through to earn their citizenship. They just had to be born here in the U.S. Reina and Ryan will never be asked to bring copies of their citizenship certificates because they don't even own any. They both have a birth certificate to prove their genuine citizenship. In the same way, the citizenship of heaven is given to an individual who's born again in Christ. You don't have to take any tests or go through the long process of applying for an interview. How amazing is that?! Aren’t you thankful that God doesn’t make you work for your citizenship of heaven? You and I simply had to put our faith in Christ for the work HE has done for us.
However, we are also well aware of how much work it takes to lead someone to Christ. Some of you may know, my father-in-law is not a Christian. He hasn’t been to church for more than 10 years. It’s been one of our major prayer requests for many years. God impressed in my heart through this year’s lent season to start a family service at his house. Ever since we started it in April, we have not missed one Sunday evening thus far, praise God! We are praying and hoping that the family services will eventually lead my father-in-law to come out to the church and become a citizen of heaven. It will not be so easy but we trust in God that the good work HE has started in us, at the right time, HE will bring it to completion. We are waiting and praying for that day to come soon because that day is indeed a special day to celebrate. We are looking forward to that day when my father-in-law becomes a citizen of heaven. It will definitely be infinitely more special than my parents obtaining a citizenship of the U.S. Please remember to pray for us every Sunday at 6 pm.
From Pastor Brian’s Heart
May 19, 2013