The Pre-Theological Education was held in South Africa early this year according to God’s words, “Put on the full armor of the Spirit.” I would like to give thanks to Father and Mother for granting us the education. During the education, we studied the words of God diligently for seven days and gained new strength.
While studying the word, I once ate some watermelon. It was so delicious. Just like its name, this fruit has a high percentage of water. However, I was surprised that despite all the water I was taking in through the watermelon, I felt thirsty a few moments after I ate it. “Why?” I asked myself. Why couldn’t the watermelon quench my thirst? It was because the water in the watermelon was not pure water. Only pure water can quench thirst completely.
Recently, I learned that the greatest thing that we need in order that we will never feel weary or tired in the path of faith is to realize God’s love and sacrifice for me and do the gospel work with the mind to repay God. Before, I had been doing the gospel work, thinking that it was the way for me to pay off for my sins. That is why I felt discouraged and weary whenever there was no fruit despite all the effort I was putting. My efforts never felt enough to pay off for my sins. I felt bitter and fearful even at the words, “The Kingdom of Heaven is near.”
Working to pay off for my sin could never quench the thirst of my soul just as I still felt thirsty after eating the watermelon. However, all my thirst was gone when I realized that God already paid off the debt of my sin and that He promised to remember my sin no more through the New Covenant. I felt the day dawning and the morning star rising within my heart. The gospel work is not a way to pay off the debt for my sin. Rather, it is a way to repay God who already set me free from sin and death. Since then, preaching has felt so joyful and pleasing for me. My hope for Heaven became more clear, and even the New Songs feel different for me now.
Whenever I hear the words about Heaven, I feel truly joyful and I miss Father all the more. Realizing God’s unconditional love and sacrifice to save us and believing that the New Covenant guarantees us eternal life! This is the faith like the true pure spiritual water that will quench our thirst forever.
I resolve to faithfully discharge all my gospel duties and be a good prophet of the New Covenant whose efforts are built upon realizing and wanting to repay Heavenly Father and Mother’s love and sacrifice.