Gave my Bible away today.
A jipsaneem(one of the members of my church) has been waiting for me to come back so I could tutor these 2 Korean-Japanese students before I went to Panama, so when I came back, she was excited that I would finally be conversing with them. We didn’t meet that much, however, every time we met, she told me that she hired me so that I could basically and simply minister to them. The first day, we spent time getting to know each other, and I got to just know about their family background. They were born and raised in Japan, however, they are Koreans.Their father is an Atheist so he stops their mom from going to church and anything church-related. The older sibling went to church when she was in early elementary, however, now she is in middle school and doesn’t remember. The younger boy, does not know even the name of Jesus. The second time we met, I don’t know how… but I ended up sharing Israel’s history and God’s redemptive plan and the Gospel. I shared it all through the spoken word, and also through drawing pictures (which was really fun). They were so drawn and every few seconds they had questions! so the entire 2 hours, I was sharing Jesus and asking Holy Spirit to speak to and through me. Then this past Sunday, They came out to church for the first time. And I was super ecstatic to see their faces! &&& Today…today, when I got to the jipsanim’s house, we started right away because i was late, but right away the first thing I asked was, “Did you guys have any questions about what we talked about last week?” And they started shooting out a bajillion questions, so much I had to stop them and ask one by one, and started tackling those. We covered everything from Prayer, to Jesus’ death, to Jesus’ second coming, to the voice of God. Then the younger boy spoke and it caught me so off guard, I almost cried on the spot. …“Through all my 10 years, I didn’t believe in Jesus, and when people mentioned about it, I kind of smirked and didn’t really listen because I thought they were crazy, but after coming to America and listening to you talk about Jesus, I believe. And I want to believe.”
I could feel my heart bursting with joy, with SO much joy that it was the the point of tears.
But I shook it off cooly, and said “that’s awesome!” ..and the older sister bought me a pack of gum and we switched emails, so that they could contact me if they have any more questions about God. We took pictures, and From the beginning, I felt a slight tug to give them my Bible. And when we sat down after taking pictures, i eyed my Bible every few minutes to kind of think if I want to give it to them. And I remembered what God told me about leading worship…“Don’t think…just do.” And so after that, I didn’t think about it twice, I told them that I wanted to give them my Bible, and they were super happy and their smiles were bursting with such bright joy…it was a beautiful moment. They told me to keep it and said how could they take such a personal belonging, but I told them that I really wanted them to have it. Also, that I got that Bible when I got into Biola, and they gave it to me for free, so I’m giving it to them for free too. And they took it with such gratitude. I told them that i wrote and highlighted all up in that Bible, and I hope that they would do the same and that God would reveal to them and they would fall in LOVE with Jesus. We prayed, and said our goodbyes and left. They are heading back to Japan this Sunday, and I believe that they are going to be wonderful Children of Light.
I was driving back home, and the song Joyful, Joyful came on, and I just realized everything that had happened, and it clicked, and I straight up started cracking up with laughter by myself in my car! I was dancing, and singing, and worshipping Him.
Joyful, joyful, we adore thee, God of glory, Lord of love
Hearts unfold like flowers before Thee, opening to the sun above
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness, drive the dark of doubt away
Giver of immortal gladness, fill us with the light of day
All Thy works with joy surround Thee, earth and heaven reflect Thy rays
Stars and angels sing around Thee, center of unbroken praise
Field and forest, vale and mountain, flowery meadow, flashing sea
Singing bird and flowing fountain, call us to rejoice in Thee
We sing in jubilation, adoration to a joyful King
You are spinning, You are singing
Zealous love over all your children
I got the joy, I got the joy, I got the joy!
I got the joy, I got the joy, I got the joy!
I got the joy, I got the joy, I got the joy!
I got the joy, I got the joy, I got the joy!
Mortals, join the mighty chorus, which the morning stars began
Father love is reigning over us, brother love binds man to man
Ever singing, march we onward, victors in the midst of strife
Joyful music leads us Sunward, in the triumph song of life
We sing in jubilation, adoration to a joyful King
You are singing, You are singing
Jealous love over all your children
I got the joy, I got the joy, I got the joy!
I got the joy, I got the joy, I got the joy!
I got the joy, I got the joy, I got the joy!
I got the joy, I got the joy, I got the joy!
In Your presence oh God, there is fullness of joy
At Your right hand oh God, there are pleasures evermore
