God’s Chosen People

Today’s reading, “Immediately after the distress of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken,” feels like reading the Book of Revelation. That’s why this content is difficult for me to read and understand.

Immediately after the distress of those days ‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’

Matthew 24:29 (NIV)

Although it is difficult,
I begin to read by praying and asking questions about each word.

Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory.

Matthew 24:30 (NIV)

In verse 30, it says that when the sign of the Son of Man appears in the sky, all the peoples of the earth will mourn.
Why do these all the peoples mourn?

It is written that the elect will be gathered from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other. Could it be that they are mourning because they were not chosen? I don’t know…

And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.

Matthew 24:31 (NIV)

However,
what is clear is that God has chosen those and sends angels to gather them from the four winds.

Also, the important question is,
Am I chosen? or not?

Even if someone is well-versed in all the contents of the Bible, including the difficult Book of Revelation, if he is not chosen by the Lord, his knowledge is meaningless.

Once I’d Moved with Only a Suitcase

Last fall, when I moved to a small room on the outskirts of Cheonan, I thought I could endure for a few months and then I could go back to Seoul. However, a lot of time has passed since then, and I’m still alone in Cheonan, so I’m still a failure. And because my landlord demanded that I vacate the room I’ve been using in Cheonan by today, I hurriedly found another room nearby a few days ago and moved during lunchtime today.

Since I don’t have any furniture or much luggage, I moved by myself, carrying my luggage in a carrier. After moving, I sat alone in the room that wasn’t organized yet. I just sat there for a long time doing nothing.

I got a room on a short-term contract for 3 months, but what if I leave this place after the contract period and it’s still difficult like this?

I had never personally contacted Pastor Jang Su-hyeon at the church I used to go to in Seoul, and I hadn’t had any conversation with him recently, but he suddenly sent me a message of support this morning, along with cafe coupons for coffee and cake.

Coffee Bean and Starbucks cafes are common in Seoul, but there are almost none in Cheonan. If I wanted to go to one of these cafes, I would have to take a taxi or bus from here to the city, but I almost never went because I felt bad about spending money on coffee and transportation.

However, there is a Twosome cafe right near my room. I had never told anyone about this, but the coupon the pastor sent me was for this Twosome.

I sat in my room blankly and when I saw the coffee coupon, I cried.

Maybe…
God knows I’m here in this little border town between Cheonan and Asan—and He’s watching over me.”

Of course, it could be a coincidence.
I don’t know for sure.
But it was a big comfort.

Penned in Coffee and Tears

In today’s message, there are chosen ones and the Lord gathers them from all directions.
Am I one of the chosen ones?
Is the Lord watching over me right now, knowing me well, and caring for me?
Or am I just one of the creatures that He does not care about?

When Moses was driven into the wilderness, if God had just said, “I will save the Israelites from Egypt through you, so wait, even if it is difficult,” Moses would have had an easier time enduring the wilderness.

When Joseph was imprisoned, if God had just said, “This is all a script to make you prime minister,” Joseph would have had an easier time enduring the prison, but God does not seem to have said such a thing.

Maybe I am one of the Lord’s chosen people, and the Lord is caring for me now, and when His time comes, He may call me and use me.
Or, maybe God does not care much about me, and I am just one of the creatures that has failed and suffered alone.

My church friends will encourage me that it will be the former.
But in fact, neither they nor I know.
Only God knows.

All I know is that I’m reading God’s Word right now, trying to obey it.
My heart is sincere, and as I write this, tears stream down my face—though I’m holding them back, not wanting the cafe employees to look at me strangely.

God, please choose me.
Amen.