One Sunny day in 2009
I am not really sure whether Pastor Joo is a great prophet, or just a crazy; heretic. At first, he contacted my translation company on the phone. He said he wanted to translate some evangelical documents into foreign languages, but the translator had to be a good Christian. I said "Don't worry," because, I have M.Div., ThM, and have the history of preaching in front of thousands of people. Then he said, "I also don't want a very young person to do this, how old are you?" Being 55, I still hear people saying I sound like a young woman. When I was a young woman, they told me I sounded like an elementary school girl. Well, what can I do, I am just born that way. But I felt a little offended because he sounded rude.
"I am old enough. OK?"
"Well, I have to pray about this, and then call you."
It was a kind of shocking when he actually appeared at my office the next day.
He looked like old traditional Korean Dosanim, someone who lives in high mountains trying to reach Tao.
He had long white hair, and was wearing white clothes from top to toe.
I noticed a hole in his shirt from a washing machine.
"Oh, you are a humble soul, " he said, which did not offend me. He wanted me to translate hundred pages of prophecy about the end of the world, some Revelation stuff. While translating, I could see the prophecies were filled with beautiful imaginaries and stories resembling Revelation, but somehow his rude and extreme attitudes made me suspicious of his being prophetic to this very day. For me, a good Christian is the most normal, and respectable person. But he seemed so weird and out of the world.
Then he wanted to translate his testimony and a story about Buddhism that was so belligerent that some of my Khmer and
Laos translators refused to translate. He wanted it in 10 languages first, and then expand it to 100 languages.
He bought lunch for my husband and me, and told us that before he believed in Jesus and was saved, he had
more than 1000 women, as one of the famous Chilgongja, spoiled sons of the richest 7 in Korea.
After translating all his prophesies, I am still not sure whether he is a true prophet, or just a heretic.
Sometimes I am touched by his passion for the Lord, but sometimes, I feel estranged by his obsession with evil spirits attacking us. And he says, "Jesus told me," "Jesus told me," like he monopolizes Jesus and always tries to scold me for not being spiritual enough. He always wears white clothes, drives a white car, and says he sees dirty spirits over everyone.
But I am more inclined toward acknowledging his prophetic qualities, because of the incident of President Obama. I mean, I was writing this article on Obama and East Asian Security, to submit it to the Korean Association of Political Science.
How did he know? Pastor Joo called me. He said, "So what is your party preference, left or right?" "Write this down. This is a prophesy about North Korean." And guess what, he started saying what I was writing at that time, about North Korea and their nuclear weapons, and he challenged me with the prospect that North Korea might be more powerful than we might think. He told me about the vision he had one day, when he saw all the missiles under ground of North Korea.
I was dumbfounded. It was just the core of my article. How can that happen?
That's why when he challenges me spiritually, I tend to oblige.
Once he said, "pray for 7 hours a day, and fast for 21 days."
Actually I fasted for 4 days. It was winter vacation, and all my sons were at home. It was unbearable to cook for the family, and then sit there and not eat. But I was light, my mind was clearer, I could see fasting was good for me.
I also tried to pray and actually prayed for 4 hours the first day. But of course, it didn't last long....The truth is that I wish he were a real prophet through whom God speaks to me, "wake up, remember your first love." That would be so great.
Then I was having a really difficult time with my employees. They were making mistakes, I was yelling at them.
I was criticizing people and getting mean. Then Pastor Joo came to my office, and said,
"Dr. Joo, I can see that you don't pray."
"Write this down. Pray, read the bible, praise for 1-2 hours a day, and lead the life of witnessing Jesus."
And this morning, I got up at 5am, read the bible, prayed for an hour, and praised for an hour. I repented. I told God,
"I am sorry, I have been too arrogant. Give me a humble heart. All I want is to be with you, and lead the life that is pleasing to you, and to hear, 'Well done , good servant' when I meet Jesus someday. I give up all my ambitions. I want to do what is pleasing to you. God, I will become a pastor. I will witness you every day, to the end of the world. I will witness you through the internet. How you saved me, what you have done for me, how great you are. I lift up my school to you. Use it. I want to build 100 schools with Joorches in Asia. I lift up my company to you. Use it to translate and interpret Korean Joorch's writings to 100 languages of the world....."
And I knew God touched me. My heart was filled with joy. My heart was filled with love. I smiled at people, and they smiled back. God brought in miracles again in my life. It was amazing. All day His grace surrounded me. Yes, this is how I want to leave. To be blessed, and loved by God. No matter what the situation is, no matter where I am, to be filled with the Holy Spirit, to love, and to rejoice. To give, sacrifice, and forgive. To open my heart and let love flow. Yes, that's what happened when I first believed. I was a totally new being...love was flowing out of my heart, I was full of joy, just to be with the Lord.....I lost it, trying to survive, and win the competition, in the world.
Thank you Lord, for touching me again, putting love and joy in my heart again. I also want to encourage other people to be more spiritual, and remember their first love for God. So today was a great day, just like the day I was born again, 27 years ago in 1982.
This translation was done by koreaninterpreters.net.
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