2013 Pastor Ock Soo Park’s New Year’s Message

“And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about a hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah’s womb.” (Romans 4:19)

Abraham was not a person who possessed this kind of faith from the beginning. God promised Abraham, “I shall multiply your descendants like the stars in the sky,” and “By your seed all the multitudes shall be blessed.” This is what God promised Abraham and after receiving this promise, Abraham rejoiced and left his country, his family and his father’s house and departed for the land of Canaan. Abraham was 75-years-old when he received God’s promise and waited for God to give him a son. However, although 10 years passed, he did not have a son.

Abraham then thought to himself, “Ah, did God forget to give me a son? Can I truly have a son?” Sarah then spoke to Abraham, “I think that if you lie with our maidservant Hagar, you can have a child.” Rather than the promise of God, Abraham’s heart was more enticed by his humanistic thoughts. “God did say that he would give me a son, but my wife Sarah is too old. It is impossible for her to conceive. Should I have a son through my maidservant Hagar?” These were the thoughts that came from a human being who looked at the situation. Abraham then had Ishmael through Hagar.

God wanted Abraham to have a child, and through that child he wanted Abraham to have many descendants like the sand in the sea and wanted the precious work of Jesus Christ being born amongst his descendants. God said to Abraham, “Your wife Sarah shall have a son.” Abraham’s thoughts matched his heart; however the Word of God did not. Abraham then laughed and said, “How can someone who is a hundred years old have a child? Sarah is ninety, it doesn’t make sense.” Abraham expressed a different heart from God. God wanted to plant his heart inside of Abraham. “I will give you as many descendants as the stars in the sky and the sand in the sea, and through Jesus’ birth all of the multitudes shall be blessed.” God showed Abraham his will. However Abraham said, “My wife is too old. How can my wife bear a child?” God’s heart and Abraham’s heart was different.

Nevertheless, God continued to plant his heart inside of Abraham. “Is there anything too difficult for the Lord? Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac.” This is when Abraham’s heart began to change. “That’s right; if God says he will give me a child then I can have a son.” This heart began to arise within Abraham. His heart then became one with God’s, and Abraham who before looked at his situation, now thought, “What matters if I am old? Who cares if I am 100-years-old or even 1000-years-old? If God says he will do it then he can do it.” Abraham went beyond his thoughts, and though it did not match his thoughts he began to have the faith to believe in God. He became a man of faith who believed in not only the possible, but also in the impossible. From that point on, God gave strength to Abraham and to Sarah and enabled her to give birth to Isaac.

Just as God worked for Abraham, today, to everyone who has gathered here, to those around the world who are listening to this broadcast, God wants to accomplish this work inside of you. In your eyes it may seem impossible, it may not make sense, it may not seem viable, however I hope that you will say, “God can do it,” and have the same heart as God so that your hearts may rise.

Do not only look at your weak and lacking self, but say, “I have God with me. I am lacking, I am incompetent, however if God works then I can do it.” Everyone, God brings about that kind of faith in your hearts. Up until the year 2012 we lived according to our thoughts. In 2013, I hope that you will overcome your knowledge and limitations, believe in God and have the same heart as Him and receive the precious grace of God working inside of your heart. To all those who have gathered here, to the brothers and sisters all over the world who are listening to this broadcast; starting from 2013 we are not human beings. We are God’s tool. If God carries us and works, then even we foolish human beings will do works of power through being held by God’s hand. God will give us the heart he gave Abraham, and will make us work with faith in God and not look at our situation. I hope that all of you may become such people.