Message from Pastor Mori
Dear RFUMC family
Mori is Back!
I have had two weeks of vacation. I went to South Korea which is very special place to me. It was a fantastic vacation. I met my family and friends who I have been unable to see for a few years, and I had a chance to visit my schools and church.
During the vacation, every moment of the days was planned out to fully experience, visit, and greet, but I felt relaxed and refreshed more than any other trip.
There are many reasons why, but I want to share my experience in the worship at Oryun Community Church. It was a refreshing moment for me.
During the Sunday, July 10, service, I heard a message about Deuteronomy 8:11-18:
People forgot God. Especially when they feel like everything is going well. When our life is stable it is usually the result of my own hard work and effort. So, we might say, "I made it only by my power and might." The text also talks about when Israel forgot God. Verse 12-14:
12 When you have eaten your fill and have built fine houses and live in them 13 and when your herds and flocks have multiplied and your silver and gold is multiplied and all that you have is multiplied, 14 then do not exalt yourself, forgetting the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery,
However, the text said to us, this is not by your own hand.
17 Do not say to yourself, 'My power and the might of my own hand have gotten me this wealth.' 18 But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, so that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your ancestors, as he is doing today.
When I heard this during worship, I thought "Oh, I hope that I could not forgot God and so make a mistake like the Israelites. It is good story to remember God's work every day in my life." But, at that time, I did not know the true meaning of this passage.
A few days later I received the message from the airline that my flight to back to Chicago had been canceled. Since I had worship service very next day, my heart trembled, my mind felt like it was full of a storm, I worried a lot, but I could not do anything at once. I could not even make a phone call to Chicago because South Korea and Chicago are on different times: South Korea's daytime is Chicago's midnight so I could not make call right away to figure it out. I needed to wait until that night which meant Chicago's morning. During the whole day, I prayed to God and waited. And absolutely I thought my vacation is ruined.
However, Joe who is my amazing husband worked overnight and found a flight for the following day, and the SPRC chair Cheryl said to me "It is not your fault, do not worry and come safely back," so this provided me with relief and Rev. Gloria generously accepted to lead the next day's worship service instead of me.
I realized that without these people's help I could not even have a vacation and without God's help I could not do anything. And I remembered what I heard during the worship.
Deuteronomy said 8:11 says, "Take care that you do not forget the Lord your God by failing to keep his commandments, his ordinances, and his statutes that I am commanding you today.
And I experienced a God who wanted to help me and take care of me and wanted me to be happy.
In God's hands, I had one extra one day of vacation and the next day, I could safely return to Chicago. With my vacation experience, my body is still in jet lag, but my soul is refreshed. My heart fills with excitement because I remember that God will help us in our ministry and works with us!!
I hope everyone in the RFUMC family remembers that God is in your daily life.
Blessings
MORI
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