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I have a Christian friend who happens to be a jail bird and was virtually whisked out of his country in order to escape the death sentence passed on him about some years ago when he became a Christian. This young man lost his education, his business and was disowned by his family. In all, he’s defied the persecutions and setbacks he’s faced and today, he’s a missionary who has trained other missionaries and he’s a senior staff at a reputable trading firm in another country. He has no University diploma, yet speaks five international languages, English inclusive.
I was quite stunned at his achievements despite all the odds. In my excitement I decided to ask him how he’s made it thus far, so I did. The answer he gave me was the more startling. He told me of a semi-literate Filipino missionary who came to his country. This missionary had a very poor command of English language. He had very meager earnings. In all, there was nothing physically or materially spectacular about him. My friend who hails from a relatively successful family hated the missionary for his lowly status. He did his best to resist the missionary’s advances to no avail. The more he tried to defy the missionary the more he saw the missionary’s overwhelming display of love and contentment. The missionary’s disposition made him to ponder over his life. He was overwhelmed by the fact that a man who lived in a very hostile community and had little or no material resources could display a high sense of contentment and confidence in what he believed. The love and life of Jesus in the missionary overwhelmed my friend. He became a Christian and the rest is history.
As my friend narrated his encounter with the missionary I understood better what it means to be a Christian. The entire ethos of Christianity is encapsulated in one phrase “Godliness with contentment is great gain (1Tim.6:6)”. The Apostles of Jesus made so much impact, because they understood this principle by spending so much time with Jesus. In their poor educational status and lack of professional certificates, they communicated about the Excellency of God to the awe of the aristocrats of their time (Acts.4:13). The book of Acts of the Apostles gives so many remarkable testimonies of how mighty works were done by ordinary and hitherto disenfranchised people. I’m mostly struck by this verse “In such ways it became evident that the Word of the Master was now sovereign and prevailed in Ephesus” (Acts 19:20 MSG).
Our Christianity is only effective to the extent we know Christ. The semi-literate Filipino and the poorly educated Apostles took advantage of their knowledge of Christ and they recorded remarkable results.
My admonition today is that we stay our life wholly and absolutely with Christ. Learn Christ. If we spend our time daily to give ourselves wholly unto him we’ll be remarkable in all we do. Our approach to the issues of life will be awesome and we’ll be fruitful in all areas of our life.
“Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ. My ego is no longer central. It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion, and I am no longer driven to impress God. Christ lives in me. The life you see me living is not “mine,” but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I am not going to go back on that.” (Gal.2:20-21 MSG).
“Cultivate these things. Immerse yourself in them. The people will all see you mature right before their eyes! Keep a firm grasp on both your character and your teaching. Don’t be diverted. Just keep at it. Both you and those who hear you will experience salvation.” (1Tim.4:15-16 MSG)
Emeka Ofia |
A Time to learn
Lara after her service year to her nation got a job with a high profile organization like she always dreamed. She met Tom a banker during her service year. Both of them were, Christians who loved the Lord. After going steady for some years, they got married, and a few months after marriage Lara became pregnant.
Upon discovery of the pregnancy, Lara was happy and sad; happy that she was going to have a baby and sad that she would be relieved of her job because of her company’s policy. She really needed the job; things were not going too well in Tom’s bank in recent times. This was just the beginning. Things really got worse overtime. Just as Lara expected, she was relieved of her job. And things continued to get worse at Tom’s bank. The psychological and physical changes taking place in Lara did not help matters. Neither did the financial needs because of the baby on the way and increasing hospital bills due to the rough pregnancy Lara was having.
Lara and Tom started growing apart; they were both under so much pressure. All Lara’s dreams about how her first pregnancy will go were trillions of miles away. Tom wasn’t the caring and loving guy anymore. He was under pressure himself, the salary was not regular anymore, and he did not like the fact that he couldn’t meet Lara’s needs. His spiritual life was not in good shape too. The burden was heavy on him. And all this was just the beginning of their troubles…
Sometimes in marriage things get really tough, tougher than you ever dreamed even if you expected things to get tough sometimes. Even when you are expecting the storms, they don’t come in the way you expect. What do you do when these times come? How do you escape the noise and scare of the storm to remain focused? How do you manage the building challenges when the Honeymoon seems over?
How do you keep your dream of a model marriage alive? How do you stand by your spouse when you seem not to have any strength of your own?
When times like this come, its time to take your notes out and take down some lessons! Someone reading this will be wondering what I’m talking about.
Well I am still here, and did not forget what the story is about. This is a hard truth I had to come to terms with myself. I’ve come to learn that the Word of God remains true no matter how we feel. God’s word is constant regardless of the situation we might face. David the Psalmist saw this and said, Forever Oh Lord your WORD is SETTLED!
The Bible tells us that Our Light affliction is but for a moment working in us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory (2Cor 4:17).
First thing is never to exaggerate our troubles, rather see them as little issues that will pass. Most times we do not knowingly magnify our problems. When we meditate on our problem without a mind of seeking solution, things get worse. Remember we have a foe that must never be undermined, he lurks around the corner waiting for times like these to display the weakness of our spouses and remind us of the several options we had before marriage.
When things get tough, there’s only one place we need to remain, at the master’s feet and around the children of God to tap strength from others.
God wants to do some great things in our marriages this year but he needs to toughen us.
So get ready get your notes out. You might be going through hard times now, crying, too weak to pray and saying when will these end. It sure will end sometime soon but you need to hang in there first.
It’s a great year ahead, get ready!
Love,
omolola ezeifeoma