말보다 말씀! 빚보다 빛!

[Key Verse] Asa did what was pleasing in the LORD’s sight, as his ancestor David had done. He banished the male and female shrine prostitutes from the land and got rid of all the idols his ancestors had made. He even deposed his grandmother Maacah from her position as queen mother because she had made an obscene Asherah pole. He cut down her obscene pole and burned it in the Kidron Valley."(1 Kings 15:11-13)

[Our Story]I heard a powerful and vivid testimony from a pastor who escaped from North Korea. It was a deeply moving time that rekindled our hearts with God’s passionate love for North Korea and the North Korean defectors—something we may have set aside in our thoughts for a while. The pastor shared his incredible journey: from serving in North Korea’s State Security Department to becoming a minister of the gospel. For an entire hour, it felt as if we were watching a gripping movie unfold before our eyes. It was a series of events that could only be explained by the amazing grace of God. He spoke about a person he met during his escape—someone he would never forget for the rest of his life. Through that encounter, he came to experience God’s powerful and undeniable love. As he read a Bible he had come across by chance, he felt both despair and hope. Eventually, he received the call to become a pastor. Every step of his journey was a testimony to God’s grace. What shocked us the most was the news that, despite intense government surveillance and persecution, there are reportedly more than 200,000 underground church believers in North Korea. It was humbling and overwhelming to realize that the wave of revival that began in Pyongyang in 1907 is still continuing today. Although the Korean peninsula remains divided, we were able to see the glimmering hope that shines like a hidden jewel in the midst of sorrow. God may have allowed the nation to be split in two, but He is still at work—powerfully and faithfully.

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5iOoUHzBh4]

[Bible Story]1 Kings chapters 12–16 depict the division of Israel into two kingdoms. After King Solomon's reign, the nation splits. The people, weary from heavy taxes and forced labor, plead with Rehoboam, Solomon’s son, for relief. But he refuses. In response, Jeroboam, a former official, incites ten tribes to rebel. The kingdom is torn in two, and Jeroboam leads the northern tribes into idolatry, making golden calves. He becomes a model of a wicked king—one who disobeys God’s commands. His disobedience is likened to the prophet in chapter 13 who, after being deceived by an old prophet, disobeys God's direct command and is killed by a lion. Likewise, because Jeroboam turned away from God's word and led the people into idol worship, God pronounces judgment on him and his household (1 Kings 14:1–20). He fails to recognize that his son’s illness is a result of his sin, and he does not repent. The child dies, and Jeroboam himself eventually dies as well. Not to be outdone in wickedness, Rehoboam, king of Judah in the south, also falls into idolatry. God brings judgment through Egypt: Pharaoh Shishak invades and plunders Jerusalem. The divided kingdoms of Judah and Israel are soon engulfed in constant warfare (1 Kings 15–16). Reflecting the chaos and moral decay, kings rise and fall in quick succession. Most of them follow in the sinful footsteps of Jeroboam. However, one exception is Asa, king of Judah, who does what is right in the eyes of the Lord (1 Kings 15:9–24). Though the nation was split in two, God’s sovereign rule continued. He remained in control, guiding history according to His will.

[Your Story] What thoughts come to mind when your heart feels divided or broken? What about when relationships grow distant? In times of despair and difficulty, it’s easy to turn toward the wrong things. Even after walking faithfully with God, we may stumble and find ourselves reaching for sweet but dangerous idols—things we once left behind. We may become more obsessed with money, more preoccupied with status. Old temptations—alcohol, cigarettes, even drugs or sexual indulgence—can begin to lure us back. But even in seasons of despair, God makes a way. He shines His light in the darkness. Our Lord remains our ever-present help in all circumstances. Even when everything around us is crumbling, may we lift our eyes in faith and fix them on Him, unwavering.

“My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and make music.” (Psalm 57:7)

Copyrightⓒ 2025 by Hyung Joong Kim