그러던 어느 날, 캘리포니아에 흔치 않게 밤새도록 거칠게 비바람이 불었습니다. 거센 바람 소리에 밤을 설치고 아침이 되어 나가보니 화분들이 모두 쓰러져 바닥에 뒹굴고 있었습니다. 낙심한 마음으로 주섬주섬 화분들을 제자리에 올려놓으려는 순간 깜짝 놀랐습니다. 한 달 넘게 병충해와 씨름을 하던 그 오렌지 나무가 진드기의 흔적은 살펴볼 수도 없이 잎들이 얼마나 깨끗하게 씻겨져 있었던 것입니다!
그때 제 머릿속에 ‘아! 이것이 하나님이 창조하신 자연의 섭리이구나!’라는 생각이 들었습니다. 또한 이것이 하나님이 우리의 인생에 비바람을 주시는 이유라는 생각이 번쩍 들었습니다. 그리고 오렌지 나무 앞에 앉아서 묵상을 했습니다. 얼마나 안타까우셨을까! 이렇게 열매 없는 나의 삶을 바라보시며 얼마나 참고 또 참으셨을까? 이렇게 벌레로 가득한 죄악 된 삶을 보시면 얼마나 슬프셨을까? 부족한 나이지만 하나님의 사람으로 살기를 바라시며 씻겨 주시는 하나님의 은혜 앞에 회개하며 감사의 기도를 드렸습니다.
때로는 약하게 때로는 거세게 우리의 인생에 어려움의 비바람이 몰아쳐 올 때가 있습니다. 이것은 재앙이 아니라 열매 맺지 못하며 죄 가운데 살고 있는 우리의 삶을 새롭게 하시는 하나님의 은혜입니다. 그리고 은혜의 비바람을 통해 더욱 새롭게 그리고 견고해질 우리를 기대하고 계십니다. 오늘도 열매를 맺을 듯하나 열매 맺지 못하는 우리들이지만 그리고 항상 죄에 걸려 넘어지지만, 다시 한번 말씀으로 거름 주시고 비바람으로 새롭게 하시는 하나님의 은혜에 힘입어 열매 맺어가는 우리가 되기를 소원합니다!
My Navel Orange Tree
Rev. Paul Jeong
A few years ago, I bought a small orange tree to grow in a pot for my desolate front yard. I began to water diligently with expectation of a full harvest in the winter. Couple of years has passed. There were times flowers bloomed bringing great joy but, like a tease, there were no fruits after the flowers died out. So, thinking I didn’t want to waste water, I decided to get rid of the tree. Then I thought about the fig tree in the Bible and decided to give it another chance. Holding back my frustration, I began to water and fertilize again. Winter came. What happened to the tree? It was infested with bugs! It’s been a few years and by now I was attached to this tree. I bought insecticide much more expensive than the $20 I spent to buy this tree. Regardless of expensive insect sprays and any other means, the bugs did not disappear.
After awhile, we had an unusual California night with gusts of wind. The wind was blowing all night keeping us awake. In the morning I discovered that all the potted plants fell and were rolling on the ground. It was at the moment when I started to put potted plants back in its places that I discovered a surprise. The orange tree that was infested with bugs for a month was washed clean with no bugs in sight!
At that moment I realized ‘Ah! This is the work of God’s creation!’ This is the reason He gives us rainy storms in our lives. I took a moment to contemplate in front of the tree. How frustrated God must have been! How patient He must have been with my fruitless life? How sad He must have been to see my sinful life infested with bugs? I had to repent and thank Him for washing me with His grace and desire for me to live as God’s person.
Time to time, we face life’s rainy storms, sometimes weak and other times strong. That is not just a disaster but it is God’s grace that renews our sinful life that does not bear fruit. Furthermore, He anticipates us to become renewed and godly through rainy storms of grace. We do not seem to bear fruit and we constantly stumble in sin, but I hope we will bear fruit by the strength of His grace that fertilizes us with His Word and renews us with rainy storms!