응급실에서의 기도 26-30

주간묵상 26-30〈응급실에서의 기도〉 옛 어른들 말씀에“가난한 집 아이들이 공부를 잘한다.”고-부잣집과 가난한집의서로 다른 환경이절박함에 미치는 영향은다를 수밖에 없기에- 남포 불빛 아래에서는글씨뿐 아니라 옆 벽에기어가는 개미도 보인다.그러나 호롱불 아래에서는오직 글씨만 보인다.내 어린 가난했던 시절,기름 한 방울도 아끼려고호롱불 심지를 낮추었고,부엌과 안방을 함께 비추려고부엌 쪽 벽에 작은 들창을 내고그곳에 호롱불을 올려놓았다. 그 희미한 불빛 아래글을 읽는데 집중하다보면옆에 거북이가 기어가도 모르고집중력은 배가되고가난을 벗어나기 위한 절박감에취미나 여유생활은 상상조차도-“심령이 가난한 자는 복이 있나니천국이 저희 것임이요”(마 5:3) 형설지공(螢雪之功).반딧불을 모아그 희미한 빛으로 글을 읽고,겨울밤 눈 위에 비친 빛으로책을 읽었다는 옛이야기.그것은 배우고자 하는 열정,뜻을 이루고자 하는 절박함,한곳을 바라보는집중력의 이야기- 손자들이 돌아와 북적댄다.책을 읽고 있는고3 손자를 불렀으나 대답이 없어다시 큰 소리로 부르자그제야 고개를 들었다.주변의 소리를 듣지 못할 만큼책에 집중하고 있었던 것장학생이 아니면 대학진학이 어려운선교사 자녀로서의 절박함이미국수능 1600점 만점에1550점을 받아 상위권 1%에- 한국교회가 커지고건물이 높아지고환경이 풍요로워지면서,영혼구원을 위한 절박함은?십자가를 향한 집중력은 어디에?주의 종들이 세속적 향락에곁눈질 하지 않고십자가만 바라보게 하소서!교인들이 한 영혼구원을 위한절박함으로 몸을 불사르게 하소서! 78년 교회를 개척하던 때한 영혼을 얻기 위하여산을 넘고 강을 건넜고복음은 뜨거웠고, 기도는 간절했다.93년도 세계선교를 시작하여오대양육대주를 활보하며응급실을 들락날락하던 몸부림.꺼져가는 등불 끄지 마소서!상한 갈대 꺾지 마소서! “우리가 살아도 주를 위하여 살고죽어도 주를 위하여 죽나니그러므로 사나 죽으나우리가 주의 것이로다.”(로마서 14:8) <a href="https://cafe.daum.net/smallwaterdrop/KU4B/715" target="_top" class="ke-link">https://cafe.daum.net/smallwaterdrop/KU4B/715</a>월드미션센터, 선교중앙교회김윤식 목사(평생선교사)Weekly Meditation 26-30〈A Prayer in the Emergency Room〉   The elders used to say,“Children from poor families do well in school.”For the different circumstancesof the rich and the poorcannot help but createa different sense of urgency.   Under the light of a kerosene lamp,one can see not only the words on a pagebut even an ant crawlingalong the nearby wall.Under the dim flame of a small oil lamp, however,nothing can be seenbut the words themselves.   During my impoverished childhood,we lowered the wickto conserve even a single drop of oil.To light both the kitchenand the main room,we made a small opening in the wallbetween the twoand placed the lamp there.   As I concentrated on readingbeneath that faint light,I would not have noticedeven a tortoise crawling beside me.My concentration grew all the stronger,driven by a desperate longingto escape poverty.Hobbies and a life of leisurewere beyond imagination.   “Blessed are the poor in spirit:for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”(Matthew 5:3)   ‘Studying by the light of fireflies and snow’—an old story tells of thosewho gathered firefliesand read by their faint glow,and of one who read on winter nightsby light reflected from the snow.   It is a storyof the passion to learn,the desperate resolveto fulfill one’s purpose,and the power of concentrationthat fixes its gazeupon one goal alone.   My grandchildren have come home,and the house is bustling with life.I called to my grandson,a high school senior absorbed in a book,but he did not answer.Only when I called again more loudlydid he finally lift his head.   He had been so deeply focusedthat he could not hearthe sounds around him.As the child of missionaries,he knew that attending collegewould be difficult without a scholarship.That sense of urgencydrove him to score 1,550 out of 1,600on the SAT,placing him among the top one percent.   As the Korean Church has grown,as its buildings have risen higherand its surroundings become more prosperous,what has become of its urgencyto save souls?Where is its single-minded focusupon the Cross?   Lord, keep Your servantsfrom casting longing glancesat worldly pleasures.Let them look only to the Cross!Let Your people spend themselves completelywith an urgent passionto save even one soul!   In 1978, when I planted a church,I crossed mountains and riversto win a single soul.The gospel burned within me,and my prayers were fervent.   In 1993, I began my global mission,traveling across the five oceansand six continents—struggling onward,even as I repeatedly found myselfin emergency rooms.   Lord, do not extinguishthe lamp whose flame is fading!Do not breakthe bruised reed!   “For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.”(Romans 14:8)