Title: Remember That Time and Cry!
Contents
The text is Nehemiah 1:1-7.
If you look at the 33 people who signed the Declaration of Independence, 16 from Christianity, 15 from Chondoism, and 2 from Buddhism. Considering that there were not many Christians in Korea at that time, this is a fairly high number. The population of Korea was about 16 million, of which only 200,000 were Christians, or about 1.3 to 1.5% of the Korean population. However, it is surprising that there were many Christians among the national leaders. It can be said that in a way it is something very proud of. What is even more proud is that among the people who took the lead in the independence movement, the key figures were Methodists. (Mr. Kim Gu, Martyr Lee Jun, Sensei Nam Gung-eok, President Syngman Rhee, Martyr Yu Gwan-sun, etc.)
Today we can learn a lesson on how to be patriotic through Nehemiah in the text.
First, Nehemiah wept and mourned for his country (1:4).
Verse 4 Weeping and mourning for days... Nehemiah did not weep and mourn temporarily or sentimentally, but wept and mourned for days. Here we read his passionate love for his country. Ladies and gentlemen, there are no lies in the tears. Of course there are sentimental tears. Yet there is truth in the tears. Expressions of love, sympathy and passion. Therefore, where there are tears, there is emotion and a new history of change is promised. How much heartache have you suffered for your country, and how many tears have you shed with heartbreak?
Second, Nehemiah prayed for his country.
According to Nehemiah 1, the word “pray” (verses 4, 6) is repeated several times. In addition, you will read that the words 'I beg you (verse 5)', 'I beg you (verse 11)', and 'Listen to me' are repeated over and over again. Just as Nehemiah fasted and prayed day and night for the restoration of the fallen nation, let us pray for the nation with tears. Many people ask, “What hope can we have in a country that can’t even protect the first national treasure in the middle of Seoul?” However, I hope that even we Christians can pray while building an altar for salvation in every church and every family.
Just as Israel, which was destroyed by Roman General Tito, remembers the resistance of Massada and shouts “Never, Never, Again”, in verse 3.1, the 36 years of Japanese oppression are engraved on their chest and bones, and the people who lost their sovereignty and wandering again lost their sovereignty. I pray that we will be able to build a strong country and a strong liberal democracy that can embrace the world with the gospel of Christ.