God's calling

After going to Galilee and proclaiming the good news of God, saying, "The time has come! The kingdom of God is near; repent and believe the good news!" (Mark 1:14-15), Jesus was passing by the Sea of Galilee.  He saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen.  Jesus said to them, "Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."  Immediately, they left their nets and followed Him.  A little farther along, He saw the two sons of Zebedee, James and John, who were in a boat, mending their nets.  He called them, and they immediately left their father Zebedee and the hired men in the boat and followed Him (Mark 1:16-20, Korean Modern Bible).  As I meditate on this passage, a few thoughts come to mind:

(1)    When I meditate on the words that Jesus called four people to be fishers of men after being tempted by Satan for 40 days and going to Galilee to preach the good news (the gospel) of God, I think of “temptation,” “gospel,” and “making disciples.”  I think it is very important to make disciples of Jesus while preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ after overcoming the temptation of Satan.

(2)    When I think about the four people Jesus called to be His disciples, it's interesting that all four were fishermen, but it's even more interesting that He called "Simon and his brother Andrew" and "the two sons of Zebedee, James and John."  This is because Jesus called these two brothers to become "fishers of men."  As I reflect on this, I am reminded of how the Lord called my father and my third uncle, the late Pastor Andrew Kim, and anointed them to become pastors.  Similarly, I cannot help but be grateful for God's great grace in calling and anointing my brother, Missionary Jimmy Kim, and me to become pastors as well.  Furthermore, I am truly thankful that the Lord has called my beloved son, Dillon Seung-kwan (meaning: faithful and truthful, crown of victory), to study theology and serve as a preacher.  I am also grateful that the Lord has called my dear eldest daughter, Yeri, to be a missionary in Japan for the second year.  Moreover, just the other day, my youngest daughter, Karis, came into our room and shared her deep concerns with us, shedding tears and mucus.  As her father, I could sense that she is deeply pondering the Lord’s calling.  I am thankful that the Lord has not only given Yeri a heart for missions but also given Karis the same heart. I can only offer my gratitude for their calling.