Book of life

I happened to chance on this video by Nathaniel Bassey, this morning, and I have to say, it took my attention. The calm rhythm, simple melody, yet striking lyrics which drive home a message is simply worth sharing. I hope that after listening to this song, you will pause just for some seconds, to examine your life. God bless.

“Why do you stand here idle all day?” (Matthew 20:6)

“You’re hired!” These words are music to the ears of anyone who is unemployed. It means your talents and skills are valued. It’s a chance to be productive and, of course, finan­cially rewarded!

God wants to hire you today as well: “You too go into my vineyard” (Matthew 20:7). No matter what “hour” of life you’re in, he is send­ing you into the world to spread the good news of Jesus’ love. And in the end, you will be rewarded one hundredfold. 

But even with such a generous employer, how many of us actually want to be hired for this task? Some might ask: “Lord, isn’t there some­thing else you need me to do?” No, the harvest is too great! The world is aching for Jesus. People are yearn­ing for an answer to their cries of brokenness. They’re longing for a reason to hope. 

Each one of us has a unique faith, unique relationships, and unique tal­ents that make us an irreplaceable laborer in the economy of salvation. What’s more, God doesn’t just send us out to flounder while he watches from his corporate office in the sky. No, he works alongside us, sending his Spirit both to help us and to pre­pare people’s hearts for the witness we will bring. So ask the Spirit for guidance as you look for specific needs in your family, parish, or community. 

As you enter this market of evan­gelization, know that one of your greatest resources is your own per­sonal experience. It’s the times when you felt especially close to God, or when you received an answer to a desperate prayer. It’s the times when you found yourself willing to forgive someone or reach out to someone very different from yourself. Don’t keep these things bottled up inside of you. Let them out! Tell people how God has changed your life, and let them know that he can do the same thing for them.

Yes, God wants to hire you. So try to take one step of faith today and see where it leads. Even if you don’t see immediate fruit, your witness will plant seeds of faith that will sprout later. A generous employer, God rewards all your efforts. 

Taken from: wau.org

Closer...

Jesus asked His disciples: " But what about you?... who do you say I am?" He asked this, after He had inquired about what they knew of who others say He is. It brings to mind the desire of Jesus for us to know Him personally, not being reliant on the views and experiences of others, but understanding that it is a matter of "Him and me". The Lord wants us to know Him for ourselves, to be able to draw closer to Him like John, and place our head on His chest. He desires intimacy with us, that we may be in Him and and He, in us. Today, let this be our heart beat.

passing the test

In Matthew 15:27, Jesus referred to the Canaanite woman as a dog!!!, after ignoring her plea to Him- very uncharacteristic of Jesus right? But He did that to test her, to draw out the faith in Him, that He saw in her. Can you imagine the extent of growth in faith that she might have experienced afterwards? or the number of people who, having seen the healing of her child, came to believe in the Lord? or even the increased level of understanding gained by the disciples about the inclusion of Gentiles in the God's plan of salvation? The list of benefits is not exhaustive.

I strongly believe that God allows some situations in our lives to test us and to increase our faith in Him. I am of the opinion that our well established faith in Him, is even more important to Him than the fulfillment of some of the temporal requests we so much desire.

How is your "situation" improving your faith in God. Today, instead of complaining, let us see how God is using that situation to build us up and draw us closer to Him for greater exploits.

For our benefit

I strongly believe the story of the transfiguration of Christ happened to embolden His disciples. The brightening of clothes, the appearance of the great prophets, the voice in the clouds and even the message given by the voice, all culminates into a lesson to reassure His disciples of His identity. It was all to their benefit.

Stretching the thought further, it brings to mind that the whole life of Jesus was actually lived for our benefit. From His birth to His death - He did it all for us. The Bible indicates that the disciples were frightened during the transfiguration, yet I believe their faith was increased.

Sometimes the handiwork of God in our lives seem frightening, delayed, isolated and even non-existent. But all that He does is for our benefit. Today, let us accept wholly, His work in our lives in order to obtain His blessings.