adminMorris Mtisi
Human life is full of trials and tribulations. Those who don’t know this are either not Christians or not yet grown up. The days are short and full of suffering. The Bible is not vague about that, about the fate of every one of us born of woman.
Africa used to suffer from civil wars, ethnic conflicts and tribal wars, some deteriorating into genocidal madness. History has this on record. Hundreds of thousands to millions of Africans died and many more left homeless and poor. It is now Europe’s turn.
The refugee crisis created by bad political governance, and senseless wars in Syria, Iran, Iraq and other Middle East countries has created an avalanche of misery to innocent civilians in the Middle East and Europe. In search of peace, hope and opportunities, hundreds of thousands of Europeans leave their countries with nothing except their children or simply themselves.
The refugee crisis dominating world television channels every day displays candid pictures of a perennial and painful human tragedy which goes beyond denunciation.
In Zimbabwe currently, Elnino and Global warming have left people wondering if God has, starting with Africans in Southern Africa, now decided to wipe out His people with heat waves, droughts and famine. The famine already wrecking havoc in certain parts of the country is for all who read their Bibles, reminiscent of the old Biblical famines in old time Eygpt and other regions in and around Israel in the Old Testament.
The trials and tribulations facing individuals and groups of races and nationalities worldwide are too numerous to enumerate: disease, corruption, wars, oppression, displacement, unemployment, crime, marriage and family breakdowns are only some of them.
Politicians of all sizes and shapes, big and small, scientists of all sorts too, psychologists, medical doctors and researchers, pharmacists, all of them promise ordinary people answers and solutions to the challenges and problems they encounter every day in their lives.
There is nothing wrong with people who are paid to promise us peace, health, knowledge, prosperity and all of it, except one thing. Most of these people do not believe in God or Jesus as an answer. Those who do are not serious enough. Pharisee-like they trust their knowledge, their power, money and positions, not God.
While we may or must hear all these self-made life-changers because there is wisdom in listening, it is important to know that the Bible contains lots of encouragement… from God Himself. The Bible promises hell, doom, yes, but only for those who are too big to be small. For those that choose Him and choose Him because they genuinely and sincerely love and understand who He is in His greatness, the Bible promises a second life divinely outstanding with the absence of suffering in whatever sense in it. Those who have studied the Bible for diplomas and degrees know verses to support all I am saying here. And they know them chapter and verse, comma and full stop.
I am not a preacher, neither am I a pastor or evangelist. I am not one of these because I would not if I wanted to. It is because in my honest view and belief these are not positions or tasks for those who want them, but those who are called. Of course called by God Himself, not Bible schools and Colleges of Theology! God gave me other gifts and talents. I am sincerely thankful about this. I am contented with those and will use them as best I can to glorify Him. He will do the rest.
But listen, the truth does not refuse to be said because one is not an evangelist, preacher or pastor indeed. And this truth today is that for fools the Bible is a hopeless book, intimidating and unreasonable in everything written in it. But for the wise whose wisdom begins in the trust and fear of the Giver of Life and Protector of Human Life, the Beginning and Ending of it all, the Bible is a comforter when we are down, disillusioned, in pain and not well in whatever sense.
I will give you two texts of hope and encouragement from the Bible this week. I will do so every week to lift the spirits of those who are dispirited but trust in God and in His Word as it is written in His book. Also those who believe that the truth is not reserved for Saturdays only, for Adventists or Sundays alone for other Christians who, many of them (Christians), for some reason failed and continue to fail to find it simple to understand which is the seventh day of a week, and why its holiness must be realized and the day (The Sabbath) is a holy day (holiday) which therefore must sacredly be observed and kept every seventh day every week.
Here are two texts of encouragement from the Bible:
1. When all your friends have let you down, when no one can be trusted-there’s One who will never betray your friendship.
“When I am afraid, I will trust in you, In God, whose word I praise, In God I trust: I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?” Psalm 56: 3, 4.
2. When things look really bad, remember: God has surprises up His sleeve! God’s surprises can turn things around-and scatter your enemies.
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous hand…All who rage against you will surely be ashamed and disgraced;…though you search for your enemies, you will not find them.” Isaiah 41: 10-12.
May God strengthen the encouragement contained in His word:
Online Reporter