Psalm 84
A doorkeeper in the house of the Lord.
I have been in Ottawa, Canada for almost two weeks. My purpose was to preach the gospel to my family and to spread the ashes of my mother. God has blessed me in being able to do that.
At the ashes ceremony, I invited everyone to welcome Jesus in their hearts so that they could go to heaven and see my mother again.
I read my testimony to my stepfather and then we talked about Jesus, Godamprsquos love, and heaven.
He did not reject Jesus this time but he did not invite him into his heart.
He left the door open for me to talk to him again, which I will do, because he said we should talk regularly through the internet. Maybe his loneliness for my mother will become his way to the Lord.
I gave my testimony to my sister, who believes in Jesus but doesnamprsquot go to church. She said she will go to the church I worship at when I am in Ottawa. I pray she can find a spiritual home there and recover her worship.
During my brief time in Ottawa, I never stay in one place for more than two days. I stay with my sister, my son, my step-daughter and my step-father. Always I am on the move. It makes me feel homeless, unlike the swallow and the sparrow in verse 3 of todayamprsquos psalm, who find nests near Godamprsquos altar.
At my sonamprsquos home, God blessed me with long talks about Jesus to my sonamprsquos wife Bradlee and his daughter Zara.
We went to church together and the pastor asked my granddaughter to pull the rope to ring the church bell.
I babysat Zara one night while my son and his wife went to a concert. We read Bible stories and invited Jesus into our hearts.
My granddaughter wants to be baptized and go to church but my son wonamprsquot take her yet.
She keeps asking him. She doesnamprsquot understand why he doesnamprsquot like God.
My daughter-in-law Bradlee is growing in the Lord. She told me about a book she read that said women were china cups and men earthenware pots, so I told her about Pastor Kim telling us that women were bone china and men were dirt.
We talked about the role of the wife in a marriage. All I had to do was remember Pastor Kimamprsquos sermons and what Paul says in his letters.
She told me her story of struggling to accept her circumstances and trying to follow Godamprsquos will in her life.
For years, my prayers have been for my son to take his wife and daughter to worship.
Now it looks like his wife and daughter will be the ones to take him back to the Lord!
My American daughter Tess came from the US to attend the ceremony and visit me. We were able to reconcile, praise God! She stayed with me at my sonamprsquos place. I invited her to go to worship with me, but she didnamprsquot.
Tomorrow I will meet with my step-daughter Susan and my daughter Erika to reflect and pray about the life and death of their mother.
The anniversary of her death is this week. When my first wife died, we didnamprsquot have the time to grieve together and ask for Godamprsquos healing, so God has given us this time.
Susan and I will go to worship on Sunday but Erika is a chef and has to work. I continue to encourage her to find a church with a schedule she can attend. At Susanamprsquos church, the music director is Korean and knows Wooridle Church. I have a QTin to give her.
I am so blessed to have my earthly dwelling place in Wooridle Church!
My heart was ampldquoset on pilgrimageamprdquo (5) these last two weeks and Godamprsquos grace has been with me. Hallelujah!
Application: Ask forgiveness from Susan and Erika when we meet to grieve over the death of my first wife.
Lord, let me not complain of fatigue and loneliness as I bring your good news and love to my family. Give me your Spirit, I pray, to hold open the door to your house.
