To all the VIPs who have come to our Thanksgiving Evangelism Festival, I extend my heartfelt blessings. I am Elder Kim Sang-geon. The word ‘Enos’ in today's passage is said to signify a man who was utterly incapable and corrupt. Because my family and I were like the family of Enos, I stand here today. Cain's family prospered in the world, but they did not call upon the Lord God. Conversely, the families of Seth and Enos were weak and powerless, yet remarkably, they were the first in human history to offer public worship. Let us examine the characteristics of the relationship between God and Enos.
First, God sought out Enos and met with him.
My life was like Cain's. At work, they called me ‘Kim, the Viper’ because I stopped at nothing to make money. Neglecting my family, I drowned in alcohol and lust. After three years, I received divorce papers. We reconciled, only to split again, leaving me to live alone. Then one day, a friend from my golf club said, “Come to church sometime.” That's how I first stepped into a church in 2008. Honestly, the sermons were hard to follow, and I was about to give up when I went to a couples' small group meeting as a last resort. But the home-cooked Korean meal and soybean paste stew I ate there after so long were incredibly delicious. During the meal, a female deacon asked me three times, “Why isn't your wife here?” Annoyed, I snapped, “Because I'm divorced! I came alone!” But no one seemed surprised, which shocked me even more. That moment, I realized, 'Not being able to share my story was hell!'
If anyone here is living in hell, you've come to the right place. I know all too well how exhausting and suffocating it is to hide. The reason no one was surprised back then was because you'd all been so well nurtured by our senior pastor's teaching that “people are not objects of faith, but objects of love.” The last part of the small group meeting was prayer. When my turn came, I hesitated, but everyone was waiting, so I had no choice but to utter, “God, Father!” That day was the first time in my life I called upon the name of Jehovah. I was so overcome with tears I couldn't continue.
Second, God delights in receiving Enos' confession.
I had been hiding my divorce at work; afraid it would be a blemish. Then one Sunday, during testimonies, a deacon shared his repentance about visiting a massage parlor. At that time, I was also agonizing over whether to tell my story at work. His testimony gave me courage, and as I received nurturing, grace increased, leading me to decide to open up. So, after much deliberation, I sent an email to my company stating: “Due to my addiction to work, alcohol, and pornography in pursuit of success, I neglected my family, leading to divorce. I am now attending church to learn about God and seek forgiveness from those I hurt. I urge you to attend church too.” But again, no one was shocked. Instead, I received many comforting replies. Applying this, I realized, 'God takes responsibility!'
Let me introduce another Enos. Before I started attending church, I had a drinking friend like a baby brother. He was arrested for drug addiction, but after his release, he contacted me again, and we met at a church. However, he was arrested again, and even after his release, he couldn't maintain his faith for long. Then, 13 years later, he contacted me again, and we met. He said he was too sick to attend the small group, so I took him to the clinic. But he told me, “Brother, you have faith and hope, but you seem to have lack of love.” Coincidentally, that day was also the day I received my layoff notice from work, making my heart even heavier. His words stayed with me for a long time. I finally realized that despite my diligent church services, I had discriminated against people and acted with arrogance. I had to admit this was the conclusion of my life.
Third, God rejoices most in preserving even a weak family.
I decided to remarry my current wife, who had led me to church. When I sought counsel from the pastor, he said, “Remarriage is harder than missionary work in Africa; it's a thorny path. You must return to your ex-wife.” After marrying, I truly found remarriage to be like death.
Once, when our eldest child was sick and we went to the hospital, it wasn't God's word that came to mind, but the principle of respecting elders. I gave water to my ex-wife first, and on the way back home, I experienced hell. Yet surprisingly, my current wife handed my ex-wife a booklet called ‘Dewdrop Rain,’ containing precious testimonies from members of Our Church. At the 2016 New Year's Eve service, my ex-wife came to my church with our eldest son. That day, I was scheduled to lead the ‘Father's Representative Prayer’ from the pulpit. I felt ashamed of how I had destroyed my family and was sorry to my children. I know divorce brings suffering to three generations, so whenever someone mentions divorce, I plead with them in sorrow to reconsider.
When my eldest son attended a youth retreat in middle school, my heart broke seeing him weeping and praying during the evening prayer meeting on the second day. I knelt down, embraced him, begged his forgiveness, and we prayed together, weeping bitterly.
Today, my eldest son will share his confession with the community. My parents divorced when I was three, and I lived with my birth mother until I became an adult. I first went to church with my dad during elementary school, and in fourth grade, my dad remarried. However, my stepmother also had her own struggles from a divorced family, and hearing her share her story opened my heart a little. Around age 20, my birth mother faced circumstances where she could no longer care for me, so I moved into my father's house. Yet, amidst frequent fights and an awkward environment, I hid my emotions and stayed confined to my room. Exhausted by this situation, I shared my story within the community. Through this sharing, I saw my sin of only thinking of myself and constantly avoiding confrontation. Furthermore, as I wrote down my feelings in my devotional journal, I confronted the loneliness and hurt from my childhood. Moving into the unfamiliar environment of my stepmother and father's home finally led me to cry out the name of Jehovah. Today, I pray that those here wounded by their parents' divorce and remarriage will also cry out Jehovah's name together with the community and find life.
Today is Thanksgiving. To the VIPs here for the first time, thank you for persevering. May your steps become the first harvest offering of worship to God.
