When asked about the more than 600 babies saved through his baby drop box, 17 of whom he and his wife are raising as their own, Pastor Lee Jong-rak said the following:
“I never thought that I would have to adopt any of them. I didn’t think about it, nor plan for it. The reason I decided to become their father was God has adopted me.”
I cried like a baby when Pastor Lee said that in the documentary The Drop Box, but then, I cried through most of the movie. It’s a beautiful little film and I highly recommend it. I think what struck me the most was how earthy and practical and ALIVE the love of God is shown to be. God’s love changes diapers and cleans out tracheal tubes and bathes a 26-year-old son who has never walked or even waved his arms. God’s love is such a visceral, inexplicable power, and this documentary captured that.
God’s Love IS Our Drop Box
Every testimony in this movie was a testimony of God’s love. Period. And it was incredible! Before he built the drop box for unwanted babies in Seoul, South Korea, Pastor Lee and his wife cared for their severely disabled son. Word spread of the love this couple had for their son, and long before the news media took notice and made his name known citywide, desperate women were bringing their babies to Pastor Lee’s door. Only love makes that kind of impression, cutting through the haze of terror and despair.
As I watched, it occurred to me that God has a ‘drop box’ for all of us, but most of us miss our destiny because we don’t surrender to the first suffering, the personal challenge, when God brings it. When Pastor Lee’s son Eun-man was born and he saw how deformed his child was, Lee turned to God.
“I asked God at that moment, Why? Why did He give me ‘that kind of baby’? Why didn’t He give me a healthy baby? That thought immediately came to my mind. But it wasn’t even 30 seconds before I repented, ‘God, I am sorry. Thank you for giving him to me.’ So step by step, with faith, prayer and His words, I lived. That’s how I started this whole work.”
Such a statement might not blow back the hair of an angel chaser, but this is what surrender and obedience looks like. The Drop Box is a beautiful illustration of the power of a surrendered life. One moment after the other, guided by choice, powered by faith, and buoyed by grace, we live. And along the way, we receive more and more of God’s love, until our lives are defined by it. This is how we become living testimonies of Jesus Christ, beacons of His Light that shine so brightly the desperate and needy can see its power and are drawn to Love’s warmth.
Let your light so shine before men that they may see your moral excellence and your praiseworthy, noble, and good deeds and recognize and honor and praise and glorify your Father Who is in heaven.
Matthew 5:16 AMPC
Really awesome & heart felt Jen, thanks for sharing.
Jennifer, that is so precious. After watching the link that you posted, I asked the question: “What does Love look like in my little sphere of influence?” The answer was quite disappointing but I thank God, once again, for the privilege of His indwelling Holy Spirit Who can cause Jesus to shine, as I LET — despite my weaknesses. It’s really all about John’s post yesterday: letting Christ live His life in and through me.
What a compassionate heart Father has given you, Jennifer!
Love
Thank you dear Jennifer for this beautiful post and for sharing the documentary! Looking forward to watching it!
” But as many as received Him, to them gave He the right to become the children of God”.
” Behold what manner of love the Father has given unto us, that we should be called the children of God. And this is what we are”. Oh Father God, thank You, thank You, thank You, thank You……..
Oh Jennifer, bless you for sharing the Drop Box, I would have missed this. Can’t wait to watch….oh the love that our Father has bestowed upon us and this precious man and his wife.
Feeling the emotion and tears already from your post. I join you in Praising our Father who is in heaven.