Hey friends,
How are you
fairing on? It has been a while since I last posted something on this blog.
Very many things have happened since then, both good and bad. As for the good
stuff: some of you already know that I completed my undergraduate studies in the
University of Nairobi in June and by God’s grace I passed my exams and
graduated on 24th August with a Bachelor’s Degree in Actuarial
Science. I praise God for that. Later on in July, I got a chance to volunteer
at the International Youth Fellowship (IYF) World Camp. It was a great
experience. I made many new friends, shared experiences with them, acquired new
skills and most importantly I got a chance to share with gospel of the Lord
Jesus Christ with some of them as we engaged each other in various discussions.
I will share more about that camp very soon. Apart from that, I have had a lot
of time to read the works of great evangelists from the 19th and 20th
centuries. These men had a lot of wisdom as they gave insights on the Word of
God.
As for the
not so good: life has a way of throwing many challenges at us. Some will
afflict our spiritual lives, our friendships and other significant
relationships in our lives, our finances, health and even our self-esteem.
Sadly, in some way, all of these areas have been afflicted as far as my life is
concerned. Spiritually, I suffered times of unbelief, doubt, prayerlessness, an
allergy to fellowship and a time of difficulty in reading my Bible. It was
hard, but you know how sometimes we really know how to hide these things from
the people around us. It’s very easy to portray an image of a life well patched
up, firm and strong, when in reality it’s slowly caving in on itself. This was
just a mild extension of the fierce war that has been raging in my soul since
early this year, when trials and tribulations t almost threw my heart into a
dark corner of despair. Some of the friendships I held on to dearly slowly
faded away, even when effort was made to try and sustain them. Health wise, the
problem I have with my voice box (as I had mentioned in a previous post) is worse
now. Singing now seems like a distant reality. Surely, with all these things
happening, in a way my esteem was
punctured and by my own judgement, I could only see a failed project, to my own
disappointment.
You need to
understand that these times were in way interloping, so in general I had one
crazy rollercoaster, the only difference being that the coming climb or slope
wasn’t predictable.
What kept me
going? It is those simple prayers that are quite unconventional, when I could
freely talk to God as a caring friend. It was the love of my heavenly Father
expressed timely though a friend, and sometimes even through a stranger. It was
a portion of scripture from His Holy Word that uplifted my spirit. It was the
promise in Hebrews 13:5, my creator’s reassurance of never leaving me nor
forsaking me. God’s presence in all these situations is the anchor that
steadily holds my life in place when the storms of this present age hit this
ship that’s trying to sail to its eternal home.
Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 , “Therefore we do not lose heart.
Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by
day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory
that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on
what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
The focus on
and magnitude of my afflictions in this world greatly diminish in the light of
eternity. Thoughts of heaven are far too lofty for the human mind to perceive.
The Christian life is not one that comes with the promise of zero pain, no
struggles, assured great material prosperity
and the love and affection from everyone. On the contrary, there will be
many troubles (John 16 :33), times of great struggle that push us to our
limits, times of lack that test our love for Jesus (consider the poor woman in
the temple in Mark 12:41-43), rejection and persecution for the sake of the
name of Jesus (Luke 6:22-26). However, the guarantee of a beautiful ending excites
a joy in our hearts that surpasses the pain brought about by these trials. “Never
again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat
upon them, no any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the centre of the throne will
be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will
wipe away every tear form their eyes.” Revelation 7:16-17.
Friends, the
end our story as believers and followers of Jesus Christ is beautiful and
glorious!!
I will end
this post with a story from one of the books I have been reading.
I have heard
it storied of a young virgin, that at a great prince’s hands had the choice of
three vessels; one whereof should be freely given her, even that she should
choose. The first was a vessel of gold, richly wrought, and set with precious
stones, and on it written , ‘Who chooses me shall have what he deserves.’ The second
was silver, superscribed thus , ‘ Who
chooses me shall have what nature desires.’ The third was of lead, whose motto
was this, ‘Who chooses me shall have what God has disposed.’ The first pleased
her eye well, but not her understanding : it offered what she deserved. She
knew that this was just nothing ; therefore she refused it. The second considered, offered what nature
desires. She thought that could be no solid good, for nature desires the things
that please the carnal lust. This she also refused. The third had a coarse
outside, but the sentence pleased her well – offering what God has disposed. So
she faithfully put herself upon God’s ordinance, and chose that. This virgin is
man’s soul. The golden vessel is the world’s riches; contentful to the avarous eye. Too many
choose this ; but, being opened, it was full of dead men’s bones and a fool’s
bauble (an ornament on clothing): to testify them fools which cleave to the
world, and at last all their hopes shall be rewarded with a bauble. Neither is
this all : though ‘their inward thought be, that their houses shall continue
forever ; yet they shall be laid in the grave like sheep, and death shall feed
on them,’Psalm 49:11,14. The silver vessel is the lusts of the flesh, those
fond and vain delights which concupiscence (desire for sexual intimacy) seeks.
So says the motto , ‘it gives what nature desires’ ; but corrupt nature desires
nothing but what gives complacency to the flesh. This vessel, opened , was full
of wild-fire and an iron whip. God shall scourge the lustful here with the whip
of judgments – diseases of the body, infamy of name, overthrow of estate,
vexation of conscience. And satan shall hereafter burn them with wild- fire,
such flames as can never be quenched. The leaden vessel is, as the sense and
sentence declare it, the blessing of God. The one who chooses it shall have what
God has disposed for him. Blessed soul that makes this election! For, opened,
it was found full of gold and most precious jewels, every one more worth than a
world – the immortal graces of God’s Spirit.
The virgin
chose this, and she was married to the king’s son. Choose this vessel, O my
soul, and Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, shall marry thee. Even though it
seems lead without, and glister not with earthly vanities, it is rich within ;
the wealth thereof cannot be valued, though all the arithmeticians of the world
go about to sum it. ‘There be many that say, who will show us any good? Lord
lift thou up the light of your countenance upon us,’ Psalm 4:6.
Have a
blessed week dear friend.
From the
heart,
MJ
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