Earlier this morning– on the day I am writing this newsletter— I had the privilege of partaking in the baptism of a family of four.

When I arrived at the beach, there was seemingly the whole church of 30-some people gathered around in a circle, singing their hearts out and thanking the Lord for such a glorious demonstration of His love and grace.

Thinking back to the time of worship, I wonder if that’s how heaven will be like— all gathered in one with hearts joined to praise God for His goodness.

And there in the center stood the family of four, three generations in arms, all dressed in white and looking determined to claim their victory.

One by one, each professed their faith and commitment to follow Jesus for all the days of their lives. And with the roaring waves rushing towards ‘em, resembling Jesus’ radical love for us, the four children of God were baptized and born again.

Each came out of the water, looking differently from a moment ago.

If there were one word to capture the essence of how they looked, I’d use the word “Renewed.”

Paul says in 2 Corinthians, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” From this point on, they are to “put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness” (Eph. 4:24).

We hollered, clapped, praised God, and prayed together as one with joined hands.

There were bystanders peeking to see what was going on. Some were taking photos. Some even came over to engage in conversations.

The family of four baptized today reminded me that I must fight tooth and nail to keep my first love ignited for Christ on the daily. You see, as a seasoned believer, I can often lose sight of the joy and the celebration of following Jesus.

I think back to the time when God first opened my eyes to see the weight of Jesus’ love and the sacrifice he made for me. I was filled with this inexplicable joy and gratitude in my heart. I honestly felt like I could bounce off the walls.

In fact, I’d go around telling friends and strangers— whomever I felt led by the Spirit to witness to— just how good God is. I did not fear one bit what they may think.

There’s no reason nor excuse for me to not be in that zone ever. The longer I’m following Christ, the greater my excitement for him should be instead of being like a jaded zombie.

The truth of the matter is, when I reflect on all Jesus has done for me— both the big and the small— I cannot help but be fired up like the heroes of faith (Heb. 11). Perhaps this is why Jesus wants us to keep our eyes on him after all (Matt. 14:22-33).

My Encouragement for You

Do you remember the moment God opened your eyes to see His glory?

There’s a Korean idiom that says, “Cho shim bul mang,” which translates to “to never lose sight of your heart at first.” As one humble man once told me, it’s not about how we start the race but how we finish.

Thanks be to God for reminding me the beauty of “cho shim,” my heart at first for Him— through the beautiful celebration of my family in Christ being born again.

My beloved, may your heart be burning with first love for Christ on the daily, without ever losing sight of his marvelous mercy and grace.

If you haven’t committed yourself to Christ yet nor have not experienced the power of the Holy Spirit and are eager to explore, I encourage you to pray to let God know and let others know as well. God will show up. May God honor your faithfulness.

With love, Jae

“Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: you should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.” (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12)

—

Thanks for reading First Love!
If you have not subscribed yet, you can subscribe below.