말보다 말씀! 빚보다 빛!

[Key Verse]
“Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: ‘Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.’” (Esther 4:15–16)

[Our Story]
The more I learn about Abraham Lincoln, the more I’m convinced he was a man of great courage. As the Civil War increasingly turned against the Union, he made a bold decision—he turned the White House into a place of prayer and proclaimed three national days of fasting and prayer. It was like witnessing a biblical story of faith unfold in modern times. The first national fast was declared on September 26, 1861, the second on April 30, 1863, and the third on August 4, 1864—each inviting the entire nation to seek God in fasting and prayer. Notably, the second day of national prayer and fasting became a turning point in the war. Here is an excerpt from that second proclamation: “And whereas it is the duty of nations as well as of men, to own their dependence upon the overruling power of God, to confess their sins and transgressions in humble sorrow... that the awful calamity of civil war which now desolates the land may be but a punishment for our presumptuous sins... We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of Heaven... but we have forgotten God... It behooves us, then, to humble ourselves before the offended Power, to confess our national sins, and to pray for clemency and forgiveness... Let us then rest from our ordinary pursuits, unite in our churches and homes, and dedicate this day to God. United in prayer, may our cries reach heaven, bringing blessing, forgiveness, and healing to our broken and divided nation.” When Lincoln courageously led the nation in prayer, God gave them victory. His bold, faith-filled decision helped save the nation.(Reference: https://www.christiantoday.co.kr/news/345994)

[Bible Story]
Esther chapters 3–4 tell the story of the courageous faith of Mordecai and Esther. Haman, a man highly favored by the king, was honored with a command that all should bow before him. But Mordecai, Esther’s uncle, refused to kneel or bow. It was a bold stand—one that could cost him his life. As a man who served God, bowing to Haman was unthinkable. Upon learning that Mordecai was a Jew, Haman devised a plan to annihilate all Jews across the kingdom. He fabricated lies, claiming that there was a people who disobeyed the king's laws, and convinced the king to authorize their destruction. Eleven months later, this horrific decree was set to be carried out—a nationwide massacre of the Jews. It was then that Mordecai and Esther chose courage. Mordecai urged Esther to approach the king. Esther made a courageous decision: she would go. But first, she asked Mordecai to gather all the Jews in Susa and fast for her. For three days and nights, neither eating nor drinking, she and her attendants would also fast. After that, she would approach the king—even though it was against the law. “If I perish, I perish,” she declared. It was a courageous decision made in the face of death. And it was this courage that saved a nation.

[Your Story]
Do you need courage today? Are you feeling more timid than before? Do the obstacles look larger, and fear loom heavier? Do you find yourself discouraged and weary? Now is the time to rise in courage. Be strong and bold—not because you are alone, but because the Lord is with you. You are not struggling alone; the Lord is fighting for you, and He has already won the victory. So today, wherever you are, be courageous. You are not alone. The Lord is with you.

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
(John 16:33)

With joy,
Pastor Hyung Joong Kim

Copyright ⓒ 2025 by Hyung Joong Kim