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She died alone. She was 28 years old and had 3 small children, all under the age of 5. Her husband abandoned her several weeks back when she grew sick again for the third time. Her family refused to care for her. Her own mother and father believed that she was getting what she deserved for her evil deeds.

Sok Kim (in pink) the day she was baptized

She never was angry with her husband for leaving her. She understood why he would not want to stay around for another period of sickness. She never was angry at her family for leaving her alone. In fact, she was trying to do things to make their lives easier as they looked after her children. And she knew that she was not getting what she deserved.

In her very simple mind, she understood that she deserved eternal separation from her Creator. She deserved Hell. What she received was an eternal relationship with her Lord. She had the faith of a child. She didn’t know about Jonah and the fish. She never questioned how many angels can dance on the head of a pin. I don’t even know if she could read. But she knew the voice of her Shepherd. Refusing spiritual help from the Buddhist monks despite the pleadings of her family, she followed Jesus alone to her death.

Her funeral took place just a few hours after her death. The customary tent was set up at the house and the funeral call was sent through the neighborhood via loud speaker. The monks came to chant her spirit into the afterlife. The family and “town mourners” lit incense and offered food to her spirit. But she will feast from a banqueting table prepared by the Lamb that was Slain for her.

As we sit just below the chanting monks, the Gospel message is being proclaimed to the neighbor man. As the monks finish and go about the rest of their day, her earthly shepherd shares her story via the same loud speaker—proclaiming the same Message she believed and lived.  Her neighbors and family heard about the source of her hope, and saw the love of Christ displayed through her church. What a contrast! What glory! What a Savior!

Sok Kim died alone in this world, but she will never be alone again.

Our apologies, due to technical issues the end of this sermon is cut off.

To prepare your heart for Sunday, read Hosea chapters 1 to 3 and listen to the song “Hosea” by musician Andrew Peterson. He has done an incredible job telling Hosea’s story from Gomer’s perspective, as she marvels at her husband’s loyal love in the face of her promiscuous sin. See yourself as Gomer, and see Christ in Hosea’s loving pursuit of his wife, in the midst of her sin.

Listen to “Hosea” here:

based on Hosea 1:2-3; 2:13-16; 3:1-2
Lyrics & music by Andrew Peterson. Track #5 of “Resurrection Letters, Volume 2.”

Every time I lay in the bed beside you
Hosea, Hosea
I hear the sound of the streets of the city
My belly growls like a hungry wolf
And I let it prowl till my belly’s full
Hosea, my heart is a stone

Please believe me when I say I’m sorry
Hosea, Hosea
You loveable, gullible man
I tell you that my love is true
Till it fades away like a morning dew
Hosea, leave me alone

Here I am in the Valley of Trouble
Just look at the bed that I’ve made
Badlands as far as I can see
There’s no one here but me, Hosea

I stumbled and fell in the road on the way home
Hosea, Hosea
I lay in the brick street like a stray dog
You came to me like a silver moon
With the saddest smile I ever knew
Hosea carried me home again, home again

You called me out to the Valley of Trouble
Just to look at the mess that I’ve made
A barren place where nothing can grow
One look and my stone heart crumbled
It was a valley as green as jade
I swear it was the color of hope
You turned a stone into a rose, Hosea

I sang and I danced like I did as a young girl
Hosea, Hosea
I am a slave and a harlot no more
You washed me clean like a summer rain
And you set me free with that ball and chain
Hosea, I threw away the key
I’ll never leave

Here’s a YouTube video of Andrew singing “Hosea.” It’s slightly hard to hear, but follow along with the lyrics above.

Having trouble sitting down with your spouse and looking at a Bible passage together? Do you sit down together to do this but end up floundering? Take heart! Here are five study resources to help you get started.

1. John MacArthur Bible Study Guides
Pastor MacArthur has produced Bible study booklets that guide you through a book of the Bible. The booklets are self-contained so you read the passage listed, answer several questions , and examine the application and cross-reference passages he provides. A great start to Bible study as a couple.

Average price: $8

2. John MacArthur Passage & Theme Study Guides
Do I sound like a broken record? Another MacArthur resource? Yes. Because this one is free.  For a variety of passages and themes, Pastor MacArthur provides a study sheet of questions and helpful commentary for you to talk through together. This is similar to the above-mentioned resources except covers shorter passages.

Average price: download for free

3. Daily Devotional from R.C. Sproul and Ligonier Ministries
Christy and I occasionally print out the day’s daily devotional from R.C. Sproul. This devotional includes a few verses to look up, commentary, one question, and a suggestion for prayer. They’re totally free, and one devotional is provided for every day of the year. Click here, then scroll down to the right where it says “Daily Devotionals.”

Price: download for free

4. Kay Arthur Bible Study Guides
I’ve also used these Bible study guides that tackle a book of the Bible or theme and break it up into a daily study for several weeks to a month. Each day’s study includes a passage to read and examine and questions to dig deeper. These include a little more busy work (instructions on marking up the passage) but these extra steps teach good principles of Bible study if you take the time. For some this will float your boat more than the MacArthur studies described above.

Average price: $9

5. For the Love of God Vol 1 and Vol 2 by Don Carson $10-15 (used)
Carson gives rich theological insight as he guides his readers through reading the Bible in a year. This is less interactive in that no discussion questions are included. Readers are given four chapters a day to read. These are beneficial guides for couples that would like to experience the wide expanse of the Bible in the space of a year.

Price: $14.00

Getting Started
View these tools as training wheels to get you started in listening to God and talking to Him together. But don’t rely on “Our Daily Bread” or devotional booklets forever. Strive to learn good Bible study habits with these resources with a goal of eventually opening up the Word itself and talking through a passage jointly without devotional guides. That’s where the greatest reward will come. I offer these ideas as a good bridge. As counselor David Powlison has said about he and his wife’s spiritual relationship, “The best way we counsel each other is by reading the Bible together & taking about it.”

Have additional recommendations? Post them in the comments below.

Psalm 119:92-93 – “If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction. I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have preserved my life.” (NIV)