We are taught that we must become upright people who, in God’s sight, are blameless and fully keep His commandments. “In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly” [(Modern Translation: “When Herod was king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah of the division of Abijah, and his wife Elizabeth also came from the family of Aaron. They were righteous before God and faithfully kept all the Lord’s commandments and regulations without fault”)] (Luke 1:5–6). While meditating on this passage, I would like to draw out the lessons given to us: (1) The author of Luke’s Gospel, Luke, first wrote to Theophilus about John the Baptist’s parents. The father’s name was “Zechariah” (meaning, “The LORD remembers...
고통의 유익 (Benefit of Suffering) 하나님께서 우리에게 허락하시는 " 큰 고통 " 은 우리에게 " 평안 " 을 주시고자 함입니다 ( 이사야 38 장 17 절 ). 좀 이해가 안됩니다 . 어떻게 우리가 " 큰 고통 " 을 통하여 평안을 누릴 수 있는지 ... 그것은 다름 아닌 하나님께서는 우리의 “모든 죄”를 “큰 고통”을 통하여 결국은 회개 기도케 하시므로 말미암아 (2-3, 5 절 ) 우리의 “모든 죄는 주의 등 뒤에 던지”시고 우리에게 평안을 주시는 것입니다 . 그 이유는 하나님께서는 우리의 영혼을 사랑하고 계시기 때문입니다 (17 절 ). God allows us to suffer such anguish for our benefit (Isaiah 38:17). Through suffering, God enables us to repent our sins (vv. 2, 3, 5) and put all our sins behind His back (v.17). As a result, God gives us peace in our hearts (v.17). Why? It is because God loves us (v.17).