Christmas

But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel--which means God with us." - Matthew 1:20-22

Jesus is the reason for the season lest we ever forget.

Causes

These days, it's becoming a fad to have a cause. Bono, of U-2 fame, has his DATA organization to alleviate poverty in Africa and the (RED) campaign to raise money for the fight against AIDS in Africa. Angelina Jolie is the UNHCR's Goodwill Ambassador, the spokesperson for refugees and internally displaced peoples. Lucy Liu is the US Fund for UNICEF Ambassador, committed to the organization's HIV/AIDS awareness and education programs. Bill and Melinda Gates started the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for the fight against preventable diseases among other initiatives. The list can go on and on.

It's awesome to see "outliers", to borrow Malcolm Gladwell's term, use their exceptional fortune to do some good in this world. In an age where the Lindsey Lohans and Brittany Spears and Paris Hiltons of the world headline the tabloids with their latest celebrity exploits, I find it abhorable that not as much media attention has been placed on Ben Affleck's "Gimme Shelter" short film for UNHCR's effort to raise $23 million for the refugee crisis brought on by the Democratic Republic of the Congo's civil war.

But as helpful and productive the attention that celebrities bring to some of these causes are, it is simply not enough. The challenges that the world faces today is overwhelming. Much of sub-Saharan Africa is trapped in a vicious cycle of poverty and war. Child soldiering has been and continues to be employed in many wars across the world. Indentured servitude and sex trafficking is the largest slave movement in modern times. Religious intolerance and persecution is not on the decline, and there were more Christian martyrs in the 20th century than all the prior centuries combined. Corruption is rampant in the U.S. and other economic powerhouses of the world. Dictators ruthlessly enslave their own citizens and execute others without cause. Tens of millions are without clean drinkable water while millions more are without basic nutritional food. People in abject poverty live in the base of garbage dumps, where they scavenge for leftover food and/or junk they could sell to vendors. We need not look too far to see that right in our own backyards are people who are disabled, homeless, incarcerated, victims of substance abuse, etc. Can there be a celebrity spokesperson for all of the thousands and millions of needs in this world?

It is no wonder that many choose to ignore the troubling circumstances of our times. They pretend as though poverty, AIDS, refugees, etc. do not exist. Or they simply don't care. The cynic inside of me fights to come out at times. There's simply nothing I can do. It's just too much. But I believe that God has called each and everyone of his people, including myself, to run this race for the least of these. Sure, there is no way in hell I'm going to be able to devote my time and resources to fight every battle. But I think that is the beauty of the Church, the partnership of the saints. I may be passionate about children's rights and human suffrage movements; others might be passionate about access to healthcare and preventable diseases; some others might be concerned with homelessness and substance abuse patients. And together, we can make tangible inroads in helping alleviate some of the tantamount issues of our age.

I am no idealist. I believe it is fundamentally impossible that we can eradicate all the problems of this world. That is what heaven is. But I believe that the words of Isaiah and Micah are not just in the Bible for the sake of being in there. I'm not sure how God will specifically use me to run this race for the least of these. But I am open to doing whatever and going wherever. Would you join me?

Here are a few organizations that are dedicated in doing some good in this world. This is not an exhaustive list, but a list of organizations I am familiar with and support to some degree:
- World Vision
- International Justice Mission
- LiNK
- ONE
- USAID
- Charity Water

Quarter Complete

One semester is officially in the books. The past two weeks (three if you count the crazy week of Thanksgiving) were a blur. There's one thing that I did a lot of that I hadn't done in quite some time: pull all-nighters while feeling the intense pressure to perform. It's seriously one of the depressing things when the sun is rising, your roommates are waking up to go to work, and you're in the same position as you were when the sun was setting and your roommates were going to sleep. It's even more depressing when this repeats more than once in a week.

But it's done now. I turned in my last paper today at 5:45pm. And I get to taste freedom for the first time in three weeks. No more locking myself in my room or in the dungeons in a library reading about Kim Jong-Il, nuclear deterrence, desperation theory, national identity concept in international relations; about Seoul Olympics, tourist industry, mega-event strategy for development; about aggregate demand curve, inflation rates, monetary and fiscal policy; about human rights, North Korean Human Rights Act, refugee status. Don't get me wrong. I learned a lot. I appreciate it. But I'm done with it...at least for now. I think it's time that I give my brain a rest. My body has taken a beating these past two weeks. I think I've developed acid-reflux disease or heartburn or something for having stayed up so many nights and eating anything and everything into the wee hours of the morning (or sometimes not eating at all). I've had minor facial breakouts that I hadn't experienced since like junior high school. And my room looks as if a tornado hit. So I'm ready to move on and enjoy the next several weeks of pure freedom and enjoyment.

But through it all, God is continuing to teach me more of His ways. All the sermons I've listened to has really touched me in fresh ways (even Pastor Bruce's out at Remnant West during the Thanksgiving weekend). This has surely been a time of renewal and refreshment for my soul, and I intend to enjoy it and soak it in as much as I can. I know that there will be stretches in my walk where I will struggle. But I believe, right now, I am learning to be content in how God is working in my life and without fear about where God will take me in the future. I need to learn to live for the moment (although still praying about the future) because God has lessons in the present for the future.

It's been a learning semester (academically, personally, spiritually). It's been a trying semester. But all in all, it has been a blessed semester, of which I have no one else but God to thank.

Thankful

Thanksgiving Day. There's much to be thankful for, regardless of external circumstances. Really.

A loving family. Supportive friends. God-fearing church.
Eyes to see. Ears to hear. Mouth to taste. Nose to smell. Hands to feel. Legs to walk.
A roof over my head. Food on the table. Money in the wallet. Clothes for the body.
Higher education. College education. Heck, ANY education.
Clean water. Hot water. Running water. Electricity. Heat.
A vision to pursue. A call to obey. A mission to fulfill.
Faith. Hope. Love. Grace. Mercy. Inspiration. Dreams. Goals.
Children frolicking without a care in the world. Friends and family tying the knot. Friends and family in love.
Hearty laughs. Deep talks. Powerful prayers. Good fellowship.
Timely convictions. Much needed rebukes. More needed encouragement.
A pat on the back. An arm around the shoulder.
And so much more.

As I write this, at least 101 are dead and hundreds more injured/missing in coordinated terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India. As I write this, the economy is tanking with virtually no end in sight with the housing market continuing to slide, unemployment continuing to rise, stock market continuing to rise and fall. As I write this, terrorist insurgencies continue to hamper development of Afghanistan and Iraq. As I write this, malaria, tuberculosis, smallpox, and other curable diseases ravage sub-Saharan Africa with inaccessibility to cheap medicine. As I write this, AIDS is killing off an entire generation of Africans, leaving orphans to fend for themselves. As I write this, modern day pirates board ships as a multimillion dollar enterprise conducted by a lawless society in Somalia. As I write this, modern day slave traders traffick men, women, and children to become forced laborers and prostitutes in the developing world. As I write this, food prices continue to rise and bread riots continue to be a global threat. As I write this, genocide continues in Darfur with little international action being taken while words like "not on our watch" become meaningless. As I write this, hundreds of thousands of North Koreans are locked away in concentration camps for life and millions more are starving while its leader gets fat off of choicest selection of food the world can offer, drives any one of his hundreds of exotic cars, drinks the most expensive liquor found on earth.

As I write this, I realize how ungrateful I've become. All the luxuries afforded to me by the grace of God I take for granted. But on this Thanksgiving Day, may I realize how blessed I am and how I am blessed to be a blessing to others.

Your Kindness Leads to Repentance

Harvest Mission Community Church had been my church for the last seven-plus years. It was the church that welcomed me, a sinner, into the arms of a mighty God. It was the church that showed me the full extent of God's love for all peoples. It was the church that taught me how to love the local body and to build up the body of Christ. And in the words of Paul, I thank my God every time I remember the church.

My relationship with the church, however, was not always rosy. I did not see eye-to-eye with the pastors all the time. I did not agree with some of the church's philosophy of ministry. I had issues with the structure of the organization. I questioned certain decisions. I took offense at comments directed at people. I definitely had many instances of bitterness, anger, and jadedness towards the church. I have definitely struggled in loving the church.

I tried to leave on a good note. I didn't want to leave on a bitter note like many of my friends. So I tried. And I thought I did a good job. But upon arriving in Washington D.C., God was revealing that I had not effectively dealt with the contentious issues I had with HMCC. I had merely bottled in the angst. I had not allowed God to heal me. Even as I got plugged into a church in the DC area, I took issues with the way the church in Ann Arbor operated, and it spilled over into arguments and debates with others.

It was only recently that God began the process of healing me. Hearing other people who had their own issues with the church share about their post-HMCC experience certainly helped. Visiting the Austin church also helped. But on the plane ride home from Austin, I listened to a sermon that was recommended by a friend. Pastor Mark Driscoll, lead pastor of Mars Hill Church, gave a sermon at a John Piper conference. He talks about the use of words in the church. One of the points he makes is that we need to pray for the shepherds. He says, "As ministers, we are far from being perfect. But many of us are doing our best. And we are grieved that the minds of our people should be more directed to our personal imperfections than to our divine message." Here I was, criticizing the weaknesses of the staff rather than focusing on the message of God and what it would have for me. Here I was, nitpicking on certain areas of minor disagreements that was preventing me from focusing on God and what He would have for me.

He also says, "Religious people preach repentance. They don't practice repentance. Religious people tell everyone to repent. They themselves fail to repent." I'm a bona fide pharisee. I had forgotten my roots as a sinner. I had gotten too caught up in the religiosity of serving in the church. I had become proud, somehow convincing myself that I knew better then anyone else and that what I had to say was worthy of an audience. I had neglected the Christian call to repentance, presuming a holier than though attitude. Other people should repent, not me. Through this sermon, God was revealing the magnitude of my sinfulness and how far from the cross I had swerved. And I found myself repenting on the plane and throughout the days to come.

I appreciate Harvest Mission Community Church. The church is composed of imperfect people who are trying their best to obey God. Do they have faults? Sure. But so do I. And that is the beauty of the grace of God. He uses imperfect people to proclaim the perfect love of God. Praise God.

If you are bitter or have issues with your church and/or others within the church, I highly recommend listening to this sermon. I pray that God would free you from the bondage of bitterness as He is doing in my life. Here is the link to the sermon. Feel free to drop a line or an email if you'd like to talk about the sermon and/or other issues.

Change is Coming

So I voted for the other guy. I'll get that off my chest right away. It was a hard fought election, a campaign in which we saw messages of hope mixed with sleeze. But in the end, the American people have spoken, and the country blazes a new path in its history.

I respect President-elect Barack Obama. His quick ascendency to national prominence is something to admire. But that he is the nation's first African-American President-to-be is something special. Despite the fundamental differences I have with his ideology, I am proud to see a minority be elected to the country's highest position. The jury will be out on how effective his four years will be in guiding this country through two wars, a global financial crisis, a fractured domestic political spectrum, and many other issues. But history has been made, and we'll see what the future holds in store for this country.

This election has been the outright rejection of the brand of politics that has been in power for the past two presidents. The spike in interest in the political affairs of this nation is a criticism of the divisive rancor wielded by Bush and co. And I'm glad for the shift. We are no better off as a people and a nation than eight years ago. The domestic partisanship is as extreme, if not more, than eight years ago. We are in one unpopular war in Iraq that has resulted in the deaths of thousands of young men and women for a cause that was fabricated. We are in another war understaffed and facing many challenges and insurgency movements that seem resilient in their ways. And we are in the most serious economic crisis since the Great Depression and policymakers are throwing everything at the problem hoping something sticks and begins to work.

It is fitting that John McCain lost in a landslide and Republicans in the Senate and House lost ground. It was hard to watch McCain deliver his classy concession speech. Many question where the John McCain of last night had been throughout the campaign when Americans were looking for answers instead of attacks. That was the real John McCain that I had learned to respect. The real McCain that stood for principles, that worked across party lines to work for America. But in the end, the John McCain of the past several months has been the John McCain that Barack Obama wanted to portray, the McCain of the right wing George W. Bush brand of the Republican Party. I'm not going to say that that is why he lost the election. But when he reached to the far right wing of the social conservative base and picked an unknown, inexperienced Alaskan governor who had only been in power for two whole years as his Vice Presidential nominee, he lost the moderate and independent vote.

It is time for a change. As a moderate Republican, I am fed up with a brand of politics that demonizes the other side, writes fear-mongering letters to sway electorates, and does anything and everything to keep power. Where is the integrity and morality, the willingness to work together for the good of the people, the leading by example, the call to serve the public good, the small government and empowerment of the people? Where is the Ronald Reagans and the Abraham Lincolns of the Grand Old Party these days? I'm tired of Karl Rove and Dick Cheney. I'm tired of Donald Rumseld and Paul Wolfowitz. I'm tired of Sarah Palin and Bill O'Reilly. It's time for change.

Two Years ii

Our church schedules a memorial service for a fallen hero. His name was Minhee Kim. Friends knew him better as Andy. He served his country. But he loved God and His people even more. Those who would gather at the service would serve as a living testament to the short life that our friend had lived. The room quickly fills up. Tissue boxes line the aisles. No one says a word to one another. Tears that flow like mighty rivers say enough. Andy lived well. He left a legacy.

Several days later, two friends and I go to visit his family. We bring comfort foods of sort so that they wouldn't have to cook in their time of great grief. We greet the parents and his brother. We try to console them. We tell them some stories about Andy. They grieve. We grieve alongside them. Words seem hallow at a time like this.

A few days later, the casket arrives in full procession. The body arrives at the airport from Dover, DE. There's a more formal open-casket funeral service. Local news reporters, officials, veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom, veterans from other U.S.-involved wars, and the rest of the Ann Arbor community would cram in the sanctuary of Covenant Presbyterian Church. It's my first time experiencing a military funeral--bagpipes, bugle, the standing guards, etc. One of our pastors presides over the main service. Some of his closest friends and small group leaders give eulogies. A little sermon. Many tears. We pay our final respects. I approach the half-opened wooden casket draped in red, white, and blue. I see his lifeless body robed in full military garb. You did good kid, I whisper. You did good.

The pallbearers close the casket. The flag is draped over. The Marines do their ceremonious procession in carrying the body out and into the funeral car. The parents and his brother follow. It doesn't ease the pain. But at least he's in a better place, a place where there is no more tears and sorrow. I see friends in the arms of others, individuals in contemplation, old war veterans saluting their own. I see grown men cry, young college kids grow up, strangers pay homage and respect. It would be beautiful picture in any other circumstances. But not today. Today, I weep with those who weep, grieve with those who grieve.

I open my email to find the last correspondence I had with him. He last wrote to us on Oct. 16, 2006: "one verse thats been sticking out to me has been psalm 44:22. it brings [an] odd comfort that He calls us to die each day to many different things, physically or spiritually. i need to learn more to take my hands off situations, especially when i can't control who gets to come home in one piece and who doesn't." Psalm 44:22 says, "Yet for your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." That verse now has new meaning.

People often ask how a loving God could allow tragedy to happen. In my youth, I would have tried to find the most articulate philosophical argument to that question. But these days, I just let God deal with those who ask. Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor? Who has ever given to God that God should repay him? For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever. Amen.