Striving for Rest
The flight from Kolkata to India was via Hong Kong. Oh, this is great, the coronavirus is ramping up and my flight is through China. Well, let’s see what happens. I think I was the only person in the Hong Kong airport without a face mask. I decided everyone was making sure I didn’t get sick – thank you very much. I arrived in the Seoul airport and my host, HeeSung informed me that the main reason I was coming, to speak at a Hyundai Foundation youth leadership development event was cancelled due to the virus. However, everyone was very happy I was coming and the two days of talks for the Institute of Light Finders was still on. So, of course, the same mind battle kicked in that haunted me in India. I am in Seoul for two weeks and now the value of the resources and time spent are coming into question. Not from others but from within my own un-renewed mind.
The next day I was taken to the semi tropical Je Ju Island for two days of rest and relaxation with Kuk, Young Sook and their delightful grandson, Ian. The experience was in such stark contrast to India, a part of me wanted to really enjoy the change of culture and another part of me was in a state of shock and guilt. My friends back in India were certainly having a different experience than I was.
After returning to Seoul, we left the next day for the retreat center where we would spend two days in staff workshops for the Institute of Light Finders (ILF). I was so grateful to the Lord for giving me helpful material. So much so, that the staff said, the overall message was clear confirmation regarding the direction God had been speaking to them the past several months. The rest of the week I spent time with many different friends who had experienced camp at du Nord or Fitch and were so grateful for the opportunity. They highly valued their camp experiences and their friendship with me. Once again, the mind battle began to kick in. Is all this honoring of “me” really appropriate. Seems like a waste of time. Do I really have something of value to share with Kuk and ILF?
I began to see even more clearly the difference of doing and being. I want to do something of value. Jesus says that I am something of value regardless of the doing. They are honoring Christ in me, not me. They are wanting to be with me because Christ is in me. Lose your life and find your life.
This message began to grow deeper as I meditated on the mission of ILF and the state of South Korean culture. ILF is a prophetic work that is counter culture. God is raising this small institute up to be a sign to Korea and ultimately, a sign for the Kingdom of God.
South Korea is located geopolitically on the boarder of North Korea and across the narrow sea to China. It was historically a punching bag for the oppressive Japanese occupation in the early 20th century and is under constant threat from the most oppressive nation in the world to its north. They are a people who succeeded beyond anyone’s wildest imagination. It would not be an overstatement to say that the introduction of the Gospel in the late 19th century is the primary reason of it’s success. And yet, the great revivals of the past 50 years are fading. The political situation is unsettled and many challenges for this great nation remain.
One of the greatest challenges is the state of the next generation. Young people are driven by their families to be over-educated, have become addicted to screens and are ill prepared for real life success. Single adults do not want to get married as it is “too much work”. Married couples do not want to have children as it is “too hard and expensive” to raise children. They are growing up weak in spirit, soul and body. The suicide rate is way too high.
The Institute of Light Finders is countering this negative state with several powerful tools of truth and light. For one thing, the two young families working for ILF each have four children. This, in itself, is a radical prophetic sign.
The mission of ILF is to raise up youth leaders who understand how to help children be strong in spirit, soul and body. In recent years the Hyundai Foundation has partnered with ILF and supported a movement among school social workers, counselors and teachers. This movement has brought workshop trainings to over 6,000 education professionals. So what is this training that has so captivated the nation? It has to do with how children learn character qualities, social skills, life skills and even academics through PLAY. The conventional wisdom has been that play is a waste of time. The concept of recreation to re-create one’s self and find wholeness in all aspects of life is greatly missing from Korean culture. Of course, the value of discipline and classroom learning are great strengths in Korea. It is not about eliminating this strength, it is about adding to it a balanced and holistic approach to life.
In the next blog, I will share part three and discovering a deeper revelation of the Sabbath rest we have in Christ.
