“For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control”- 2 Timothy 1:7 (NIV)
The story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-35) is always a good reminder of stretching our faith and taking a risk for Christ. After being stripped of his clothes and left for dead, a man lay on the roadside. In quick succession a priest and a Levite scholar passed him as he fought for his life. Then alas came a Samaritan who quickly dropped off his donkey and attended to the bruised man. He went ahead to take him to the hospital and pay all his bills.
How often are we in position where we are challenged to take a risk for Christ because of our faith in him? Many times we take a pass - concerned over our safety. Risking our faith for Christ is challenging of course and may involve certain sacrifice. Like one gentleman who drove into an accident scene where a car that had just knocked down a little girl had sped off. The girl was fighting for her life. No one was willing to take care of her for fear of being bogged down. Though the gentleman was behind schedule he stopped, pulled the bruised girl in his car, and took her to the nearby hospital. There she was nursed back to health.
Our faith will always be tested. And it is in such moments, when ordinary people just walk by, that true Christians rise to the occasion and show to the world our faith in him!
Prayer for today: Lord Father in heaven, today I pray that I never lose sight of the fact that my faith will be tested and then I must take a risk for you!
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08/05/2024 - 09/05/2024 All day“Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:15)
The culture of sharing gifts runs through scriptures and is at the heart of the Gospel. Upon realizing that Jesus Christ had been born the three wise main did not just go empty handed. “On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh” (Mathew 2:11).
When Jacob decided to return to his country, he went with gifts to soften the heart of his twin brother Esau, whom he had left maddened at him for various wrongs. “Then he selected these gifts from his possessions to present to his brother, Esau: 200 female goats, 20 male goats, 200 ewes, 20 rams, 30 female camels with their young, 40 cows, 10 bulls, 20 female donkeys, and 10 male donkeys” ( Genesis 32: 13-15). The reason was, Jacob thought, “I will try to appease him by sending gifts ahead of me. When I see him in person, perhaps he will be friendly to me.” So the gifts were sent on ahead, while Jacob himself spent that night in the camp” (vv 2—21).
Esau was already a wealthy man and had no need of the gifts presented. But Jacob pleaded with him. “Please take this gift I have brought you, for God has been very gracious to me. I have more than enough.” And because Jacob insisted, Esau finally accepted the gift” (Genesis 33: 11). This symbol of good touched Esau, brightened his heart, burying the old acrimonious relation.
Taking after these two instances believers should be in the habit of sharing gifts. We should visit each other not empty handed but like the wise men with gifts, not so much that those we are gifting are lacking, but as a way of blessing them. Proverbs 11:25-26, says, “Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.”
Most importantly we bless each other with gifts because we have received the most important gift there is in life, the gift of salvation. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
Prayer for today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, today I thank you for the most precious gift of all that you gave me of eternal life through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, and so I pray that I may not hesitate to share this gift and bless those with as much whom you enable me to meet, this I pray in Jesus’ name.
