URC Weekly 7/17/2011: 25th Time is the Charm



Hi Church,

Yesterday, Japan won its first ever Women’s World Cup, defeating the United States in penalty kicks. The American women dominated in the majority of the game. They shot 13 more times and had four more corner kicks than their Japanese counterparts. They scored first in both regulation and overtime. However, the Japanese women showed great resiliency by coming back each time; there were three minutes left to go on the second time.

This is also the first time ever that team USA has lost to Japan in the sport. The American record against Japan in women’s soccer is now 21-1-3 (win-loss-tie). This means that the Japanese team went into the game yesterday knowing that they have never beaten the Americans in 24 tries. Have you ever failed at something 24 times? Then try it one more time?

This reminds me of a passage that carried me especially during the process of becoming completely sober:

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus (Phil 3:12-14).

At that time, I was struggling to get away from my drug-ridden past. I needed a constant reminder to move on towards the better things that God has promised me. Every day, I battled a crooked notion of my severe inferiority. I fought against the thoughts like ‘you are not good enough,’ ‘you have hurt so many people’ and ‘you don’t deserve a good life.’ But I pressed on, replying on the passage above. Now, I do not doubt that God loves me and His promise for great things to come through my role in His kingdom.

My brothers and sisters, God has made that same promise to every single one of you. Are you struggling to overcome something at this time? Is something hindering you from being the great creation of God that you are? Press on. God has deemed all of us worthy enough to press on. In fact, God pressed on Himself in Jesus Christ and God continues to press on today in the Holy Spirit to win our hearts.

Have you ever failed at something 24 times? Then try it one more time? I pray that we will all press on, knowing that God has pressed on for us.

• WORSHIP TIME IS CHANGING TO 10AM ON THE FIRST WEEK OF AUGUST
• OKEC: Hyonroh is preaching 7/24 (Sun) @ 1:15pm, hangout afterwards
• Community Group: 7/29 (Fri) @ TBD
• BACKPACKS FOR KIDS: Backpacks are here, please see email for more details
• HANG WITH THE KM YA: Postponed to 7/31 (Sun), bowling then dinner
• URC BBALL TEAM: Our guys are playing in a league in Ontario, come support!
• MORE: 8/1 (Mon) – 8/4 (Thu), leaders wanted
• URC CAMPING: 8/14 (Sun) – 8/17 (Wed) @ Lake Cachuma
• SNACKS: The Lim’s
• SCRIPTURE READING/OFFERING: James Kim
• DEVOTIONS: 1 Corinthians 16 – 2 Corinthians 5