Timely reminders

I was up far too late last night working on a lesson plan that's due today.  This morning when I woke up, I instantly realized that I was going to pay dearly for that decision.  I'm sore and achy and can barely keep my eyes open, and yet I still face 4 hours of Korean language class and 4 hours of teaching workshops.  With my minimal strength, I already feel overwhelmed. 

So today I went looking for encouragement in God's word, the best pick-me-up you could ever find.  I stumbled across this little gem tucked away in 1 Chronicles.  It's so beautiful to me.  A big reason as to why I was up so late is because I chose to take 2 hours off of studying to go to a Bible study.  But it was so worth it.  There is a reason that God says that fellowship with other believers is so important.  We lift each other up and encourage them when times get difficult, which I really needed last night.

So anyway, this passage (especially verse 11) reminded me to seek the LORD first above everything else, and He will give you the strength you need when you have none of your own.  What a timely reminder from the God who is the King of perfect timing :).

1 Chronicles 16:8-11

⁸ Give praise to the LORD, proclaim his name;
   make known among the nations what he has done.
⁹ Sing to him, sing praise to him;
   tell of all his wonderful acts.
¹⁰ Glory in his holy name;
   let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.
¹¹ Look to the LORD and his strength;
   seek his face always. 

Culture-blind

This morning I mentioned in my travel blog how diverse the group of students that I'm here at orientation with are.  There are students that have backpacked through Europe, gone to boarding school in Thailand, volunteered in Africa, worked in South America, and everything in between.  They speak all sorts of languages, have all different types of families, and completely different life experiences.  And the crazy thing is that they only represent a tiny slice of the diversity that exists in the world.  For all their global jet-setting, they are still all Americans - there is an entire globe of different people out there.

And do you know what's really cool?  God loves them all.  He loves the homeless man begging for food on the streets of New York City.  He loves the little 노파 (old woman) bending over a fermenting pot of kimchi.  He loves the scruffy little South African boy playing soccer with his homemade ball.  He loves the Costa Rican schoolgirl in pigtails and a dirty uniform struggling to complete her homework.  He loves the drug lords, the witch doctors, the murders, the imams....He loves them all.  He is, in that regard, very much culture-blind. 

And the great thing is that they can all love Him, too.  There is no requirement that you must be white and English-speaking and tattoo-less and "presentable" to be a Christian.  The Bible says that the whole earth, and "families of nations" can worship the Lord.  God is not a God who can be limited by man-made boundaries or restrictions.  He loves and gives to all of us equally.  Here in South Korea, where I am very much the foreigner and alien, where I am the one out of my comfort zone, that is a comforting thought - and convicting reminder to not judge people too quickly because of how they look.  God sure doesn't.

1 Chronicles 16:23-30

²³ Sing to the LORD, all the earth; proclaim his salvation day after day.
²⁴ Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.

²⁵ For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods.
²⁶ For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the LORD made the heavens.
²⁷ Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and joy are in his dwelling place.

²⁸ Ascribe to the LORD, all you families of nations, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
²⁹ Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering and come before him.
Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness. ³⁰ Tremble before him, all the earth! 

The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved.