Ps 1:1-2 “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.”

I. My Easygoing Life

The most beautiful day of my life was December 14, 1952! Everything beautiful began on that day. For me there was nothing in the world yet. There was no Jonathan, Josef or Maria on earth, not even David, my counterpart, although he is older than these three others. But my brother Kaleb was already 4 years old and he looked at me and was glad because of me. He was good at painting, narrating and writing. I was proud of him for everything he made and went through. On the other hand, I envied my brother for knowing more about our mother who died before I entered school. All I can remember is her graceful glance. But when it came to singing, my brother was never able to reach my level and he was permanently last in our sibling song contest, initiated by our dad. He only knew two songs. In contrast, I was well versed in current songs and my pretty young sister was also. I had a joyous and carefree personality and in addition I was smart, so that when I was in 2nd grade, my primary school teacher wrote on my report card: “Cheerful and clever!” But in return I neglected my homework and lived just as I pleased. I didn’t like attributes such as discipline, diligence, faithfulness, orderliness, patience or obedience, which seemed to be so boring. Instead, creativity, ingenuity and spontaneity were exciting expressions to me. That’s why I thought that I would have the blood type AB, which was very rare among my fellow countrymen, and I thought that this would be the sign that I was a genius. But later I was disappointed when I heard that my blood type was B. I was no genius, but a combination of laziness and liberality were my character traits. So I was an ambivalent being, on the one hand searching for intelligence, success and recognition, and on the other hand, being lazy. Such baseless optimism was shown when I failed the entrance examination of Seoul University, which I was very ashamed of.

II. The Wind Blows

During my preperation for the entrance examination in 1971, I got to know UBF through my classmate, Daniel Park, who today is a missionary in Düsseldorf. That year I studied diligently, so that I could enter Seoul National University with the best results on the entrance examination. On the same day as the entrance ceremony, I went to UBF and began studying the Bible from the book of Genesis with M. Anna Yang. From that Bible study, I still remember that the expression “Independence” means “Dependence on God”. In those days I also invited my brother Kaleb to come to UBF. Since then, my brother has been not only my brother and friend, but also my shepherd. I praise God! I liked UBF except for the slogan, “Bible Korea, World Mission.” For what was important to me? I was living such an independent life that I missed handing in my presentations and attending many lectures and exams. Furthermore, I got drunk everyday before going to the university. So I ended up with many F’s that semester. Then I flew from reality when I began military service. In 1976, I didn’t want to attend the conference my brother invited me to. But my father encouraged me to go to the conference by saying: “Huh? It takes place at the ocean? At least you could go there for swimming.” I went there to go swimming, but then I swam in the grace of God’s word. It was like this: On the second day, when M. Samuel Zun, who at present is serving God’s work in Cincinnati, preached, one word of God came into my heart–John 3:8: “The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” I was able to just accept that God really exists. What happened to me? The peace of God and true freedom came into my heart and an irresistable smile came to my face. God came to me, an ambivalent being and showed me: “Independence is dependence on God”. Independence truly is dependence on God. I should have held on to that meeting with God and grown in dependence on him to strengthen my faith.

But this meeting connected me to him for just one year. I became careless again. I continued to miss handing in presentations, so that I was finally kicked out of the university. Instead of finding myself and turning back, I blamed God. So again I said, “Good bye!” to UBF-life. And again I lived according to my old habits. But God had mercy on me. One year later, in March 1980, I took part in the Genesis Bible Academy at Yonhee Center like a lost child. God renewed my faith through his word. One day Dr. John Zun invited me for lunch, which was not unusual. But this time something very exceptional took place. When I entered his office, I saw a face and immediately, it occurred to me that something very important was about to happen in my life – God’s intervention. Independence is dependence on God. I laid down everything and put it all in God’s hands, who is the creator and builder of my life. That was all I did. This is how Missionary Maria and I got to know each other. I was accompanied by holy joy and gratitude during the two weeks of wedding preparations. I believe that in that very moment God revealed his purpose for me to go to Germany as a missionary. He already saw Cologne, my four children, Cologne UBF Center and Seoulshop.

Then, in 1982, I was sent to Germany as a missionary. My key verse was Acts 1:8. My prayer topics were: 1) to live a proper life, 2) to live a basic life of faith. That was it. When I was sent as a missionary, I was a problem child for Shepherd David Kim. But I made a personal decision to obey God.

III. Calling from Cologne to Stuttgart

In Germany, M. Maria was waiting for me with our honeymoon baby, David, who was 6 months old. After 10 months, Maria was born and then, after one and a half years, Josef. We sent Josef to Korea because we were expecting our fourth child, Jonathan. With three children, we already had a full house. M. Maria worked as a nurse, taking the night shift. One morning, she came home from work, exhausted from a night watch, and walked through the clothes which were lying around, not smiling, just going to bed. I whispered to her, quoting a song, “Housewife Song” by Hella Heizmann. I was also tired and weary and we didn’t have any perspective. All missionary activities seemed to be burdens. Shortly after that time, on January 1, 1986, God gave me Ps 1:1-2 when I was reading Daily Bread. “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.”

I was moved by the words: “Blessed is…” Through those words, God gave me confidence that Christian life is a happy life. In spite of the seeming contradiction of my reality, God helped me to take that word joyfully. God also led me to make a new decision, namely to read and write Daily Bread every day. For many missionaries, this habit was very natural, but I used to write Daily Bread just one or two times a week or not even once.

Today I’m looking back on those days. Since January 1, 1986, God allowed me to write Daily Bread every day until today. He really blessed me and made me happy! In the first year, 1986, he gave me adequate schooling as a software engineer. So I was able to serve God as a self-supporting missionary. Moreover, he allowed me to study singing in Maastrich conservatory. And God took away my morose and weary heart and my passiveness and gave me a willing, grateful heart in everything God gives me. “Blessed be…” As God promised, he made me a happy child of God. In 1988 I started work as a computer consultant. Today, many years from then, I look back on that time with a thankful heart. But by now there have been some changes. In the last few months, my work colleagues and I had a hard labor dispute. We demonstrated on the streets and sang in front of the “Sparkasse” banks, “Der Dom muß mit, der Dom muß mit sonst gehen wir nicht nach Münster mit.“ We fought against the closing of the location in Cologne. After 3 months of persistent demonstrations, I got a call from my employer at the end of last year, and he offered me a telecommuting job in Cologne. How glad I was to have this chance, so that I was able to stay in Cologne! But after this oral promise, I got a written offer to be transferred to Felbach, nearby Stuttgart. What a big surprise for me, who had been living in Cologne for 26 years. Immediately, I protested and got help from Shepherd Walter, Pastor Abraham and another choir who all wrote letters for me to stay in Cologne. But it was all useless!

At that moment, I became aware of a new reality and I was struck with holy awe. I was aware of God’s leading hand, and that he had chosen me for a new mission. This means that we go to Stuttgart not because of the change in my job situation, but because of God’s intervention and calling. So I have confidence and great joy that God wants me to renew my identity as a royal priest and declare his praises that he called me out of the darkness of my easygoing life into his wonderful light. I accept his new calling. May God help me to accept his great hope and be a royal priest.

One Word: Depend on God, Follow me.

Prayer Topics:

1. Study the Bible from my heart, Sunday messages and deep daily bread
2. Double the ministry by 2010 through 1:1 Bible study
3. Good co-working for Germany, Europe and world mission, and especially for the International European Summer Bible Conference 2009
4. Vessel of the Holy Sprit in our Family: David, Maria, Josef, Jonathan, Missionary Maria and Missionary David Hong