Daniel Im

Pastor + Author

Faith

Integrating Two Sides: Mary vs Martha? Or, Mary and Martha?

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I cannot recall the last time I have ever heard anyone teach or preach about being Martha – myself including.

When reading Mirrored Reflections: Reframing Biblical Characters, ed. Young Lee Hertig and Chloe Sun, Beverly Chen went to lengths to show the importance of integrating both Mary and Martha’s characteristics in our lives. Chen explains how Mary’s strength of inward spiritual formation actually flows naturally into Martha’s strength of hospitality and outward ministry.

Personally, I tend to identify more with Martha – not necessarily in the aspect of hospitality, but in the aspect of valuing doing more than being. From both my Korean and Canadian culture, I constantly feel the pull toward producing, succeeding, and accomplishing things. However, one thing that I have learnt is the necessity of coming to Jesus Christ first before even thinking about doing anything else. As a result, in that sense, I am like Mary.

Who are you more like? Mary or Martha? Or both? If both, in what capacity?

An Artesian Spring Dialogue

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In the passage below, I love how Jesus exemplified dialogue education by being a guide on the side, rather than a sage on the stage. His love for the woman at the well and his disciples was clearly exemplified by his persistence to have them discover and encounter truth, and drink from the well of living artesian water.

Jesus accomplished this through dialogue and I want to do the same.

Jesus empowered the woman and his disciples through dialogue by hearing their stories, and I want to do the same.

I need to resist my tendency to assume that I understand those I am leading, and I need to engage them in dialogue by first hearing their story. It is only when I hear their story that I can faithfully teach them and love them in the way that Jesus would want me to.

“A woman, a Samaritan, came to draw water. Jesus said, “Would you give me a drink of water?” (His disciples had gone to the village to buy food for lunch.) [Read more…] about An Artesian Spring Dialogue

The Story of Jonah

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When’s the last time you’ve read the book of Jonah?

Try reading it through and see if you can make sense of this pictorial representation of the book.

Hint: The heart represents God’s heart for the nations of this world.

 

finally overcoming temptation?

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I don’t know about you, but I face temptation daily. Sometimes I overcome it, and other times I fall into the temptation and sin. There is no way to get rid of temptation completely, but God always promises us a way out of temptation:

“No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13)

The awesome thing is, God uses temptation to transform us and develop us:

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:2-4).

However, what practical things can we do to develop self-control in order to overcome temptation when it hits us? This is the question I asked myself while reading Kenneson’s Life on the Vine, and here’s my answer.
[Read more…] about finally overcoming temptation?