My hotel was considered to be one of the best in Seoul and I am sure had excellent facilities to cater for all the perceived needs of the discerning traveller, none of which interested me in the least as it was by now quite late in the day and an early start was scheduled for the following morning, a journey by public transport of approximately 250 miles south of Seoul. I was also intending to visit the airport, as advised, with the expectation that my personal belongings and general luggage had been located and ready for collection. In the event it turned out to be a vain hope since the airport was completely closed down for the day! Why? I never did find out.
Once in my hotel I decided to immediately go to bed, but I could not help pondering the events of the last couple of days, especially so in light of the ‘Word from the Lord’ relayed to me before I left Heathrow. I must confess that I was tempted to blame the Lord for my misfortunes and also for His apparent lack of ‘faithfulness’ in not keeping His word. It was then that I clearly heard a ‘voice’, deep in my spirit, instructing me to open the drawer of my bedside cabinet. I had packed my own Bible within my now ‘lost’ personal belongings but here was a Gideon Bible. I was familiar with these bibles since I had previously been a ‘Gideon’ myself. I opened it at random but was somewhat dismayed to observe that it was written in Korean which to me seemed only to add insult to injury. Again a ‘voice’ suggesting that I turn to the back. It was a diglot, first part in Korean, second part in English. This somewhat humbled me a little so I responded by asking where I should start reading, to which I seemed to be directed to Philippians 4 beginning at verse 4:
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
Let your gentleness be evident to all.
The Lord is near.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
I do not know what you, the reader, may think about speaking in ‘Tongues‘, but all I can say is that is exactly what happened next and that, quite spontaneously. It seemed like one half-hour of continuous praise and thanksgiving which, like it started, quite dramatically came to a close.
Again the ‘voice’ interrupted what was now my silence. “What would you like to ask for now?” I must have been feeling sufficiently humbled because my immediate response was along the lines of “You know best” and to which the reply was “Ask that your sweat glands be sealed up”. This took me somewhat by surprise,0. but I was reminded of the many ‘miracles’ which the children of Israel experienced during their 40 years of wanderings in the wilderness before entering the promised land, even their shoes did not wear out!
Request made, the ‘voice’ broke into the inner peace I was experiencing, a peace that I now call, ‘Philippians Peace’, asking what else would I like? Well, I just burst out laughing exclaiming, “I just don’t trust myself to ask for more, but, if possible, how about my luggage”! That was the end of our little conversation as I got no response to this final request.
I could not help reading more of the rest of the chapter before falling to sleep. I read about how Paul had learned the secret of ‘being content in any and every situation’. Was this a lesson I too needed to learn, if so, it seems He had to take me to the other side of the world to teach me!