KNOWING GOOD WHEN IT COMES

The other day our teen church presented a short play during Sunday service. In summary, a man ‘invited’ God for a meal and God promised to come. The man went home excited and told everyone who cared to listen God was coming to his house for a meal tomorrow. On the day, he prepared a spread fit for a king and waited eagerly for God’s arrival. He waited and waited, but 'God' did not come. His family mocked him but he still kept faith that God is coming. As evening approached a beggar came to the door begging for food, but he drove the beggar away because the only food he had was meant for God.  

The next day he went to his pastor disappointed. He said ‘God did not come as He promised, can you imagine only a beggar came to my house yesterday’. The pastor shook his head and said God came as the hungry beggar but you drove Him away (Mathew 25:45). The man wept but it was too late. He did not recognize the opportunity before him because it did not have the ‘packaging’ he expected. He didn't recognize God even thou he was expecting him.

While watching the play, I remembered the story of the mad man of Gadara (Mark5:1-15). Years ago when I was reading that story, my attention was drawn away from the mad man to the people of Gadara and I was intrigued. The bible records that Jesus went about doing good, healing the sick and ALL that were oppressed of the devil (Act10:38, Mathew 9:35). Jesus arrived at the region of Gadara but could not ‘do good’ because the people asked him to leave.

They were probably overwhelmed by the loss of the herd or how much change they saw in the man that they could not recognize ‘the good’ standing before them. I kept imagining how many more demons could have been cast out of people, or how many people would have been healed of their diseases, if only they let Jesus stay. What missed opportunity? At the end Jesus entered the boat and left the way he came with all the ‘good’ he could have done in Gadara (Mark5:15).

Dear friends, do you turn away from ‘good’ just because it does not have the packaging or appearance you expect? You probably thinking I will never not recognize Jesus. What can I say? Just remember the people of Gadara before you make that decision, and pray that you walk continuously in the leading of the Holy Spirit.

Lastly before I sign off let me share a personal experience. Years ago when I first became a Christian, I always wished that a particular pastor preached every Sunday in church. She was and is still simply amazing so you can’t blame me:-). If she wasn’t the person preaching I will tune off and sure enough I almost never got blessed. On this particular Sunday as another pastor was climbing the pulpit to preach I started to tune off again until I heard clearly, “Who are you to choose the vessel I will speak to you through”. I have since learnt that the vessel is not mine to choose but once I am in a bible believing church, it an opportunity to hear from God and it my job to pay attention to what God has to say to me.


Remain blessed 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Greater than my experience.

The other day as I was returning from work, I made a stop at a shop. I had a couple of options on which way to take home but because I was in a hurry, I wanted to know the fastest way home. I decided to consult Google Maps on my phone. Do note that I have had positive experiences with Google Maps in the past, so I was open to go with its suggestion. To my greatest surprise though, it showed my fastest way home was through “Allen Avenue”. The first thought that came to my mind was 'My Google Maps is broken'. You wouldn’t blame me! Google Maps had never suggested Allen Avenue to me before at that time of the day and anyway, everyone knows that Allen Avenue traffic could be crazy during rush hour. I re-entered the destination, made sure the traffic update was on and it still suggested going through “Allen Avenue”.😱😱 As I sat in the car, debating what to do and which route to take since obviously my Google Maps was faulty, I heard clearly in my spirit, “ *This is how pe...
Read more

Lessons from the Parable of the Talent?

Image
Happy New Year friends. It is already half of the first month of 2018😊 . May I ask, how are you holding up compared to your new year resolutions/goals/targets? On a second thought, I won’t ask, so that I don’t have to answer too😊 Back to the topic at hand😊 . I will like to share some insights I recently gained from the parable of the talents. I believe we are all familiar with this passage, but just in case you need a refresher, you can read the account Mathew 25:14 - 30 God has an ACCURATE estimation of our ability (vs15) and gives us talents accordingly . To put it differently, if you have got a talent, then you can fully leverage that talent and deliver good returns. The Bible tells us that before God formed in us in our mother’s womb, He knew us (Jer29:11) . Stop measuring yourself by the standard of men and saying I fall short. Saul was physically bigger than David. Imagine if David said to himself, if Saul can’t face Goliath, then I don’t stand a chance. Measure...
Read more

When Mercy Speaks

Image
Oh my God… my worst nightmare has just come to pass or am I dreaming, yes indeed it is true… I hear their voices… I have been caught… but I thought I was been careful… I am not supposed to be caught… Oh my God… what’s happening… the shame... my family… they can’t stand the shame... God can you hear me now… I will be stoned to death… no one knows my story… no one cares really… the crowd is following and chanting profanity against me… they are justified… after all I was caught in the act… the very act… I deserve the punishment… oh the shame… the humiliation… I am in the temple waiting for my judgement. The law must hold, nothing or no one can upturn it now. The sooner this is over with, the better and I wish they did not have to take me before the new Rabbi, Jesus, I have heard vaguely about him, the one who works miracles, I truly need a miracle today, but then I don’t deserve one… I was still lost in my thoughts that I did not notice the silence, oh so silent it was deafening, but...
Read more