Persistence: Our Testimony

For the past 3 weeks we have been meeting with an 85 year old woman, praying with her and doing foot massage on her. The first day was awkward as she manifested such a spirit of doubt that it became almost impossible to try and convince her that we were not there to benefit anything from her, except that she may benefit everything from our God. As I opened the blankets enclosing her feet, I saw her almost hide some of the scars caused by her condition. She tried to curl them away from my sight and uttered “I have a skin disease.” These words of distress fell upon my ears as those of the man who had leprosy in Mark 1.

She’s been ill for a while; I thought, and has possibly lost hope of ever recovering. Initially when we prayed with her, she did not even want to say Amen, she kept saying that she does not believe she'll ever get well. This past weekend we again visited her and are grateful to see the Lord softening her heart, such that as we were about to leave her house, she requested we read a Bible story for her. What could best describe her situation than the story of the impotent man found in John 5? Her plea, like his was/is: “I want to be whole, I want to walk again.” For the first time since our visit to her house, we were met by the encouraging words, “I now understand, and pray that Jesus may heal me.” The glimmer of hope shining in her eyes made us think, what would have happened if we had decided to quit after the very first visit? “When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the Lord will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them.” Isa 41:17

As we continue doing the Lord’s work, whether in Medical Missionary lines, Colporteuring, or Bible work, there are discouragements we meet along the way, there are times when we may feel like giving up, but God says, “Go Forward.”

Acceptable Service

While reading about the events surrounding the life, death and particularly the resurrection of Jesus, I found it a sobering thought that God would make such a great sacrifice for fallen humanity. Well, we always hear about it, we often read about it, but this time it was different. As I read John 20:17, a question came to my mind, "what is acceptable service?" Dependent on the reader, my assumption is that the first text that comes to mind is Romans 12:1
Body = Living sacrifice (holy);
Living Sacrifice (holy) = (log-ik-os) Reasonable/ Rational Service to God;
Reasonable/ Rational Service to God = Acceptable to God

Back  to John 20:17 Mary (Magdalene) is grief stricken, and while she weeps at the tomb, she learns and sees that Jesus is alive. In her plight to worship Him, she hears the words "Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God and your God." It seems a bit harsh, I mean here is a woman who has just learnt that her Lord who was dead is now alive and just wants to worship the Saviour, why couldn't she?

As much as Jesus appreciated the gesture shown by Mary Magdalene, He had not yet presented himself to God the Father to ascertain that His sacrifice for us was accepted. This comes out quite strongly to me that Jesus did nothing except that He knew it bore the Father's approval. While on earth Jesus had been obedient to His Father, He walked with God daily and His service was acceptable. Jesus bore testimony of Rom 12:1 till death, even after His resurrection. The rest I leave with you, is your service acceptable to God?