A PERPLEX SITUATION

“He found them wandering through the desert, a desolate, wind-swept wilderness.  He protected them and cared for them, as He would protect himself.” (Deuteronomy 32:10-12)

‘Lord, our Protector says, “Just be determined, be confident and make sure that you obey the whole Law that my servant Moses gave you.  Do not neglect any part of it and you will succeed wherever you go.”  (Joshua 1: 7)

Once upon a time, a young man who was attacked by a gang of criminals, ran to a village belonging to the Christian community, and cried out before them so that someone might save his life.  Feeling pity on the helpless condition of the youth the villagers hid him in the village church.

The attackers who were following the youth terrified the community and threatened them by saying till the next morning if they did not surrender the young man all the villagers would be killed and completely destroyed.

The villagers who were filled with fear of death informed the whole matter to their village priest.  Thinking that he would solve the matter on the basis of Word of God, the priest began to go through the Holy Bible.  As he was pursuing the sacred scriptures one verse touched him, “It is better for you to let one man die for the people, instead of having the whole nation destroyed.”  (John 11:50)

Considering this as the command from God, he handed over the youth to the gang of attackers.  Thereafter, the villagers were comforted.

 But after a few seconds an angel of the Lord appeared before the priest and asked him, “Why have you done this?” 

The priest replied, “In order to save my people I handed over the youth.” 

Then the angel said, “He was Christ.”

 Being perturbed the priest asked the angel, “But how can I know this?”  Instead of reading the Holy Bible whole night, if you would have gone to the youth and looked into his eyes very clearly you would have come to know who he was.

Yes, dear ones, the scripture says, “Then they will answer Him, when Lord did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or stranger or naked or sick or in prison and would not help you?”   The king will reply, “I tell you whenever you refused to help one of these least important ones, you refused to help me.”  (Matthew 25 : 44-45)

In the above verse, Jesus Christ clarifies one of the major facts that we have to remember in this brief life of ours.

Lord Jesus says, “Whenever you refused to help one of these least important ones, you refused to help me.” 

This may happen to us when we are very urgently in need of Jesus.  Or those may be the moments when we are being tested whether we can live together as brothers and sisters in the Kingdom that God has prepared for His children.  If now it is not possible with us, then later on it will be impossible and pitiable for us. 

Perhaps we can close our eyes to the facts around us.  We may be able to close our hearts towards the people around us.  Similarly, it may be possible with us to spend days and nights living cruelly.  But the Bible strongly exhorts us that you would become unworthy of the Kingdom of God.

“For God’s Kingdom is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy which the Holy Spirit gives.”  (Romans 14 :17)

It is in this world itself that the first steps begin.

Today, the world is entangled in the power of evil one. 

Hence our Savior Jesus advises us, “Don’t conform yourselves to this world.”  By not putting our hope in the fleeting pleasures and comforts of this world, instead by depending on God, we shall turn towards the upliftment of our lives.

“Command those who are rich in the things of this life not to be proud, but to place their hope, not in such an uncertain thing as riches, but in God who generously gives us everything for our enjoyment.  Command them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share with others.”  (1 Tim 6:17-18)

The Holy Bible teaches thus, Lord Jesus never turned His face away from the needs of His people and the community problems. 

The self-centered human thoughts and life style destroy our personal and community life.  Only when we make God’s thoughts as ours, and when we rely on God’s ways, can we journey to the new happiness and prosperity that the Lord has prepared for us. 

The deeply rooted weakness and ambitions in us are useful only to spoil our lives.  Many times we desire to keep away from the troublesome facts of life.  For little pleasure, without a second thought we interfere and get involved in so many things and become an object of laughter/ridicule

“So get rid of your old self, which made you live as you used to the old self that was being destroyed by its deceitful desires.  Your hearts and minds must be made completely new, and you must put on the new self which is created in God’s likeness and reveals itself in the true life that is upright and holy.”   (Ephesians 4 :22-24)

Don’t do anything from selfish ambition or a cheap desire to boast.  Obey the Lord, be humble and you will get riches, honor and long life. 

So let’s carefully check our ways and turn towards the Lord and then surely the Lord will grant us a new heart and a new steadfast spirit.  If you will live faithfully in the Lord’s presence, He will take care of you. 

When we approach our lives problems with anger and grudge, Lord Jesus has no part in the good plans for us.  Then we will have to search in the dark.  Since anger, grudge, fear, bitterness are building up the modern world is crashing down to disaster.  The Holy Bible says, “Get rid of all bitterness, anger, hot temper, insults and gossip along with all evil.  Let not there be the mention of the name of sexual immorality, unholiness and indecency.  Whatever you desire others to do for you, you do it unto them.  And thus, may your light shine before everyone and let the people glorify the Heavenly Father by seeing your good deeds.                                                                                                                                 

           -Published in January 1997, LWE 2000