There Is No Tomorrow : Haeyeon Kim
James 4:13-15 (ESV)
13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”- 14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”
Once the year 2020 hit, God provided a clear and thought-provoking message that was drilled into my head. I remember the unforgettable sermon that Pastor Gus prepared for our first 2020 New Year’s service on a Sunday. I thought about the sermon over and over again, but God made the sermon even more clear as I was traveling to Europe, returning to NY and serving for the YG retreat. He is still speaking to me through it even to this day.
Before entering into the new year I asked God for clarity because my heart for Him was up in the air. It may have been the distractions around me, but I couldn’t focus. Instead, I was numbering my days for my big Europe trip. It was a sentimental moment for my brother and I to be reunited in Amsterdam. To even have the opportunity to travel all across Europe was amazing. I wouldn’t even have thought about going if he wasn’t studying abroad. When I actually witnessed him in person, it felt so surreal. It was such a long journey but I finally got to see my one and only brother. In my head, I thought to myself, “Who would have ever thought I’d see you here,” especially knowing what kind of environment we both grew up in throughout our childhood. It was a miracle to us because it always seemed like a dream that could never be reached. I felt so blessed and thought to myself, “What a great way to start the new year”.
Many blessings happened within the month of January. However, my views of my own life changed after I was consistently reminded of a sermon I heard at Hillsong Church in Amsterdam, Netherlands. To be quite honest, I fell asleep a bit during the sermon. However, right before I was about to knock out God woke me up and I was in tears. The very last message struck me. It was about how we need to start numbering our days as if there is no tomorrow. The pastor stressed how we need to truly live as if today is our very last day. Moreover, there is no such thing as tomorrow because tomorrow becomes today. The past is something that we cannot change. I couldn’t forget this message after listening to it. It was a wake-up call from God. He was telling me that I need to prepare myself for what is to come- His 2 nd coming. It made me realize that I needed to stay alert and to pray with all of my heart. It also made me realize the importance of evangelizing like there is no tomorrow and to live for His kingdom.
I felt this sudden rush. I’m only 22 years old and still young in the eyes of society but with life, you never know when anything will happen. Now that I know, I have to take action and share the good news to everyone. Little did I know that I was going to make such a big decision to move to Texas where my parents are. I was about to give up everything that God gave me in New York in order to fulfill His quest. The thought of not knowing how long either me or my parents will be alive gave me a push. I wanted to make up for the lost time that I wasn’t able to be there for them.
My mom received salvation a year ago and is slowly looking back at the decisions she made. She is realizing how much she hurt the people around her, including me. I want to be able to go through life with her and show her true forgiveness. Moreover, I want to bring healing by being in the presence of my parent’s brokenness. I want to accept them for who they are because of what Jesus did for us.
I don’t have my life figured out and I do not know what will happen tomorrow. However, what I do know is His calling for me. Who am I to plan out my own life and what I will do next? He tells me that I am a mist and may not know when He will take me. If it is God’s will, I should follow and live the way that he wants me to, under His control. I should already have that mentality planted in me to obey his commands, rather than follow my own selfish and fleshly desires.
Ultimately, I’ve come to a realization- it’s not guaranteed that I may live a long life. No one can predict exactly what’s to happen in the future. This is why I’m living my life to the fullest under God’s command. I pray that I may live my life for Him. The first step is to act now.