By Captain Eunha Kim Eastside, WA Corps – Northwest Division
하나님은 우리에게 성경을 통하여 사랑을 말씀하신다. 성경책은 사랑의 책이라고 하여도 맞을 것이다. 요한복음에서만해도 사랑이라는 단어는 50번을 넘게 우리에게 말씀하셨다. 주님은 왜 우리에게 사랑이라는 말씀을 계속하셨을까? 그것은 아마도 사랑한다는 것이 쉬운 것 같아도 어렵기때문일것이다. 왜냐면 원수도 사랑하기 힘들고 나를 괴롭히는 사람, 나를 싫어하는 사람, 내가 미워하는 사람도 사랑하기 힘들기 때문이다 그런데 하나님은 우리에게 말씀하신다. 원수도 사랑하라고 하시고 구약에서는 내 이웃을 네 몸처럼 사랑하라 말씀하시고 요한복음 13장 34절에서는 더 넓게 모든 사람과 더불어 서로 사랑하라고 말씀하신다 즉, 구약에서는 내 이웃에서 신약에서는 내 이웃 뿐만 이 아니라 내 지역 사회 그리고 더 나아가서 다른 민족까지도 서로 사랑하라고 새 계명을 주셨다 나는 요한복음 13장을 묵상하면서 오늘은 13장 1절 말씀 중에 ‘끝까지 ‘라는 단어가 유난히 눈에 띄었다. 우리는 사랑하기는 쉬어도 끝까지 사랑하는 것이 힘들지 않은가? 믿음 생활도 하기는 쉬운데 우리의 믿음도 끝까지 지키는 것이 힘들지 않은가? 주님께 순종 하겠다 하면서도 끝까지 순종하지 못하는 때가 많다 그러나 예수님은 우리를 끝까지 사랑하셨다 그리고 하나님의 말씀대로 끝까지 순종하셨다 우리는 너무 쉽게 사랑하고 너무 쉽게 사랑하는 마음을 잃어버리지 않는가? 그렇다면 어떻게 주님이 우리를 끝까지 사랑하신것처럼 우리도 끝까지 서로 사랑할 수 있을까? 주님께서 사랑하라 하셨으니 무조건 사랑하는 마음을 갖으면 사랑할 수 있을까? 너무나도 풍족 해지고 있는 이세상은 주님이 말씀하신것처럼 더 많은 사람과 함께 서로 사랑하기가 힘들어지고 있지 않은가? 삶이 풍요로워 지면 우리는 서로 나누면서 서로 사랑할 수 있을 것 같지만 지금의 세상은 점점 개인주의로 나를 중심으로 살며 나만 잘 살면 되고 내 가정만 잘 살면 되는 그런 사회로 변해가고 있다. 35절에는 우리가 서로 사랑하면 이로써 모든 사람이 주님의 제자인 줄 알 것 이라고 말씀하고 계신다. 주님의 제자가 된다는 것은 주님의 말씀대로 살아가는 것이 제자가 되는 것이다. 예수님의 제자로 살겠다고 주님께 날마다 기도하지만 끝까지 주님의 제자로 사는 것도 어려울 때가 많다. 왜냐면 우리의 삶은 항상 똑같지 않기 때문이다. 어떤 때는 평지를 걷다가 어떤 때는 오르막길이 나오고 산도 만나게 된다.그것이 우리의 인생이 아닐까? 오늘의 말씀처럼 어떻게 주님께서 주신 새 계명처럼 내가 너희를 사랑한것처럼 너희도 서로 사랑하라는 말씀대로 살수 있을까? 나는 그 대답을 룻기에서 찾을 수 가 있었다. 나오미에게는 룻과 오르바 두명의 며느리가 있었는데 사랑하는 남편과 두명의 아들을 잃어버리는 아픔을 겪고 두며느리들에게 떠나라고 권고한다. 그러나 두명 중에 한명 오르바는 비전이 보이지않자 자신이 자랐던 곳으로 다시 돌아가고 룻은 어려운 환경에 있지만 나오미와 함께 베들레햄으로 가서 보아스를 만나 결혼을 하게 된다. 나는 보아스를 만나게 되는 그 과정에서 사랑할 수 있는 답을 찾았다. 바로 축복 이였다. 보아스는 만나는 모든 이들에게 주님의 축복을 항상 원했다. 자신보다 낮은 자리에 있는 자들에게도 축복을 하고 힘이 없고 약한 여인들 에게도 축복을 전했다. 그리고 보아스로부터 받은 모든 은혜를 룻에게로 부터 들은 나오미도 보아스 를 축복해 주었다. 축복은 우리가 서로 사랑할 수 있는 축복의 통로가 되는 것이 아닐까? 하나님이 우리에게 원하시는 사랑은 낮은 자를 돌아보며 약한 자와 가난 한자를 축복 할 때 우리는 서로 사랑할 수 있을 것이다. 신앙생활을 하면서 상처를 많이 받는 곳은 의외로 가정과 교회라고 한다 배우자와 자녀를 서로 사랑하지 못하고 신앙생활을 같이하는 성도도 서로 사랑하기 힘들 때가 많다.
우리 모두는 하나님이 사랑하시는 똑같은 자녀이다 많고 적게 가진 자도 아니요 높은 자와 낮은 자도 아닌 우리 모두를 주님께서는 사랑하신다. 주님의 사랑은 나보다 다른 사람을 더 귀하게 생각할 때 축복하고 사랑할 수 있을 것이다. 오늘 하루를 나에게 만남을 허락하신 모든 사람을 더 귀하게 섬기며 축복할 때 우리는 서로 사랑하는 주님의 제자가 될 것이다. “새 계명을 너희에게 주노니 서로 사랑하라 내가 너희를 사랑한 것 같이 너희도 서로 사랑하라” 요한복음 13장 34절
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https://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Korean-Devotion-1-scaled.jpg25601707Beth Desplanckehttps://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/uswLogo-300x75-300x75.pngBeth Desplancke2022-01-07 11:04:002022-01-07 11:05:05February 2022 Korean Devotional: Blessing is Channel of Love
By Lt. Isabella Green Bellingham, WA Corps – Northwest Division
Twenty-four years into my life and I’ll finally admit it, I was an angry kid. I had a short fuse that my sister especially was great at lighting. She would say something, push just the right button, and I would go off on her. Then, in true sister fashion she would run to my parents crying about how mean and awful I was, and I would be the one to get in trouble. Typical right? It sure was in my household.
After every spat and fight, my dad would sit me down, and I would say through my tears, “but Papa! She made me do it! She made me mad!” and he, in all his fatherly wisdom and patience would once again remind me that she can’t make me do anything. I chose to get mad. I chose to react. I chose to do something I knew would get me in trouble. Choices. We all make them. We make good choices, we make bad choices, we make choices with unknown outcomes. Choices.
1 Corinthians 16:14 tells us to “do everything in love.” As believers in Christ, we are called to make choices that reflect that belief and relationship. We are called to make choices guided by love. When we read through Scripture we see time and time again God choosing love. The promise that the rainbow stands for is a promise of love. Gods continuous patience with Israel was a continuous choice He made with love. The birth and death of His son, and all the things Jesus did during His time on earth, is an incredible example of God choosing love, even if it was hard. God loves us, to the point of sending His son to die for all of us. We don’t always make it easy for Him either, but, He always chooses love.
Each and every day, we need to choose love, just as God does. When your sister pushes your buttons, you need to choose love. When your boss tests your patience, you need to choose love. When that car in front of you cuts you off and makes you late for an important event, you need to choose love. When it seems impossible to choose anything else, choose love.
Let all that you do be done in love. 1 Corinthians 16:14
https://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Feb-Devo-scaled.jpg17082560Beth Desplanckehttps://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/uswLogo-300x75-300x75.pngBeth Desplancke2022-01-07 11:03:002022-01-07 11:04:00February 2022 Devotional: Choose Love
By Captain Felicia Grant Seattle, WA Social Services Director – Northwest Division
From its humble beginnings, the Founder of Home League (1907), now Women’s Ministries, coined it a “help one another society.” Women in social work is one of the continuous strands of ministry for The Salvation Army. We see Women’s Ministries impact and significance throughout our history, beginning in 1890 when Captain Emma Brown organized the first Slum Sisters brigade. Serving families living in deplorable conditions, such as no heat or running water in cramped spaces, often shared with other families and shared bathrooms. On-call day or night, they bathed the sick, fed children, washed clothing, cleaned houses, and cooked a lot of hot meals. During World War I in 1917, women Officers of The Salvation Army, trusting ingenuity, equipped with very few supplies: gas masks, helmets, and .45-caliber revolvers; served up thousands of donuts to WWI soldiers.
Even before becoming an Officer, I remember serving, supporting, and sharing with people who just needed a little help rebounding from an unexpected situation or experiencing a series of unfortunate events, those who in the past had been the ‘giver’ and now need to ‘receive,’ most often in a state disbelief and shame. Scripture shares our victory because of Christ in 2 Corinthians 4:8-9: We are hard-pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.” We find ourselves in a unique place throughout history as Ambassadors of the Gospel, Proclaimers of Peace, lavishing love as was lavished on us, equipped and prepared to meet both the spiritual and practical needs, to aid and to inspire those who enter our doors. What a fantastic opportunity to have this eternal impact at pivotal times in the lives of so many!
Women in Social Services are inspired by the love of God and knowing His love is for all, and they want to share that Good News. The Salvation Army operating and ministering through the arm of Women’s Ministries in Worship, Service, Fellowship, and Education in 132 countries, in every zip code in the US, is and will continue reaching the world for Christ!
Inspire, in Latin inspirare means to ‘breathe or blow into’ from in- ‘into’ + spirare ‘breathe.’ The word was originally used of a divine or supernatural being, in the sense ‘impart a truth or idea to someone. This definition takes my mind to the song “Great Are You Lord” by Casting Crowns. The chorus says, “It’s Your breath in our lungs, so we pour out our praise Your only.” Inspired by the love of God, His Word, and the Power of His Holy Spirit, through our praise we also inspire others.
What does that look like in day-to-day Social Work? Through Relational Social Services, a simple yet genuine conversation, as shared in the Gospel of John Chapter 4, shows how a conversation can transform lives. When we can and want to inspire others, we establish a beautiful bond through the experience of speaking, teaching, and lovingly restoring women (and men) from all walks of life who are in a place to be inspired. As we follow the model of Apostle Paul, unapologetic in who he was in Christ (Galatians 2:20), we plant seeds of hope and reflect on God’s grace and provision in the lives of those we serve. I believe we see this hope in the story of The Good Samaritan told by Jesus in the Gospel of Luke 10:25-37. [Note: Check out this month’s craft & devotional, Love Your Neighbor,that also talks about the Good Samaritan]
Women’s Ministries, inspired through Educating, Fellowship, Service, and Worship, and now we encourage others as we serve our communities, wrapping our arms around them in acceptance, love, understanding, and grace. Personally, I have experienced the bonds that tie through Women’s Ministries, gained life-long friendships and have been blessed and (hopefully) have been a blessing to many. Our time in serving others, lives on in each family, and organically spreads hope beyond our service to an individual or their family but often it spreads through family, social circles, either sharing their experience with The Salvation Army or modeling and serving others in their own capacities. As they carry on the love and concern shown to them, I believe through the realization of what Christ has accomplished in their life, they can begin to personally consider inviting Christ in their life.
Relational Social Services allows The Salvation Army to partner with clients and journey with them helping them move past barriers and obstacles to the betterment of their lives. During this time, we have the opportunity to inspire them during conversation; with our faith and experience in who Christ is and how God sees each one of us and knows our every need, inspire! Women’s Ministries is the perfect partnership that leads to the opportunities for families to become introduced into Corps programs.
https://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Feb-She-Leads-scaled.jpg17072560Beth Desplanckehttps://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/uswLogo-300x75-300x75.pngBeth Desplancke2022-01-07 11:02:582022-01-20 09:28:20She Leads... With Inspiration to Serve
