Pastor's Corner

April, 2004

There are so many “hot topics” I can write about these days. Topics like the Gay Marriage, the movie The Passion of Christ, the assassination of the Hamas leader in Gaza Strip, the tension in Middle East in general, the impending bankruptcy of the Medicare System, the word “under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance, the aftermath of Iraq and Afghanistan, the bombing in Madrid, and among other developments around the world and within this country make us wonder where this world is heading. When I read the newspaper every morning, I find myself making the same comment: What a mess! In this blazing speed of our life, have you ever stopped or maybe just slowed down to think about where you are heading? The things we tried so hard to “hold on” to in this world are on the verge of being blown into pieces. It is not a matter of “if” it happens; it is a matter of “when” it happens. Is there anything worthwhile for you to hold on to when that happens? It all comes down to the most basic question: What is your purpose in Life?

Today, my son asked, “We’ve been to Saddleback Church for worship, haven’t we?” I said, “Yes.” He then said, “There is an article about the church and the book we are about to study in Sunday school in this week’s Time magazine.” Most of the time, when we read articles about ministers on any magazine, it is usually about money or sex scandals. Dirty laundry, so to speak. It is unusual to see a good story about a down-to-earth pastor, making it to the pages of Time Magazine ( March 29, 2004 ). The article quoted from the first line of the first chapter of The Purpose Driven Life: It’s not about you. The author explains, “Looking within yourself for answers doesn’t work. If it did, we’d know it by now. As with any complex invention, to figure out your purpose, your need to talk to the inventor and read the owner’s manual—in this case, God and the Bible.” Isn’t he right? Individuals are looking for answers and blueprints of life from the world, but they always ended up in a dead-end. Until you accept you were born by God’s purpose and for His purpose, you will end up in a dead-end, full of frustrations.

In this egocentric era, to accept the world that doesn’t circle around “I” is a paradigm shift. Even Christians are so much into asking God to supply our needs so that we can be “happy,” but this kind of self-seeking attitude will only cause more miseries. Until our lives are God-centered, and to live for His purpose, we are spinning our wheels without getting anywhere.

Watching the news on TV or reading the newspaper, you will have an idea where this world is heading. Reading God’s Word, you will know where you are heading: heaven or hell. Before I sign off, I sincerely pray that you have accepted Jesus Christ, who died to atone your sins and rose from the dead to secure your Eternal Life, as your Personal Savior. Happy Easter!