Today's passage is Nehemiah 4:15-23.
In response to their enemies, Nehemiah had half the people guard the other half working on the wall. Everyone carried a weapon.
Because they were spread out they were ordered to come to wherever the trumpeter sounded the alarm and God would fight for them.
The men worked and guarded in the day and then guarded inside the wall at night. Everyone, including Nehemiah, slept in their clothes and always carried a weapon.
Because I have been traveling all day and night to America, I have slept in my clothes.
I have slept in my clothes many times, mostly because of travel, sometimes because of work. It's not normal.
It always means a time of readiness, of staying focused on a task.
Jesus calls us to wait in readiness, to keep the oil of our lamp filled.
We are a community called to help each other, to build and maintain the church.
What are my work clothes?
Yesterday in my travels to visit my family in America and Canada
I read our QT passages.
I asked Chris Okal(lost sheep of my mokjang) to come to church before he leaves.
before my plane take off. I prayed.
I sent the names of psychologists to the parents of the boy I expelled.
I wrote to the new student council president about praying for the work we have to do in the upcoming year.
I arranged to go to church today with my daughter before we do anything else
Sometimes it seems like there is no rest from being a Christian. It's all work.
Right now I feel tired from all the recent efforts at my school to build a foundation wall with the boy who was expelled, with his parents, with my office workers, especially my assistant principal.
And now that I'm with my family for a couple of weeks, I must pray to see them objectively and love them in a better way.
So, I must sleep with my clothes on.
Today I will talk to Tess(my daughter) about God in my life on the way to church.
She needs to know a little bit more of my story.
But this is joyful work, the work of love, and that's what I really need to live this day in my work clothes.
- from America-
