Who am I?
I was very young; I felt like a nomad wandering in a world where I did not belong; I needed answers to the myriad of questions in my heart.
However, when I gave my life to God in Jesus Christ, one of the first books I read was the book of Hosea. I was amazed to see my life written in the Bible; every question in my heart was answered here in the Bible. Yes, I know this sounds bias, but for a child who was not loved, it was the best news I ever heard, regardless of my sin, shame, and brokenness (Hosea 2).
Like the Israelites in the book of Hosea, I was unfaithful to the Lord and committed every sin. Moreover, Hosea bought back Gomer from her slavery and washed the filth from her. The Lord Jesus bought me from my bondage of sin and took my shame when He died on the Cross.
I am a child of God, bought with the Blood of Jesus, and brought into a personal relationship with my Father, who never rejected me. I can boldly share the Gospel because, like Paul, I too encountered Jesus on my way on the road to destruction. People are feeling rejected, lost, and unloved, and the Lord is calling them to Himself through the Church.
Where am I?
For me, I take everything as it is, where am I on the journey now? I am on a trip where my health is questionable, and I can either bemoan the circumstances, or I can choose to trust the Lord in the here and now. However, this is not new to me; I have had several surgeries and hospitalized for an extended time. One morning while lying in the hospital bed, I prayed and said, “Okay, Lord, this is not about poor me, and I refuse to pity myself. What do you want to do here?” I ask Him because if we are His Hands and Feet in a lost world, it should not matter if we are in good health, or bad, we can still worship Him through all times, and share the hope for a future in Christ Jesus.
Moreover, what a better time to worship the Lord and proclaim His Gospel than on the sickbed?
In our world today, as was with ancient times, people want signs, miracles, or the wisdom of the world. They want explanations as to why God allows things to happen (2 Corinthians 1:1-13). Paul also talked about the thorn on his side and prayed the Lord would take this thorn from him. Mine is a tumor on the side of my neck. The Lord responded to Paul, “In your weakness is My Strength.” Through Scripture, I too can be assured of God’s power and where I am physically, spiritually, and mentally, I can be content, because the Lord gives me strength. (Philippians 4:11).
After I had prayed this prayer, doctors, nurses, and technicians were coming in and sharing their hearts with me. A man across the hall was vulgar to the staff, so instead of getting irritated, I chose to pray for him, and by doing so, I was in peace, and I forgot about all my fears, doubts, and anxieties. It doesn’t matter where we are; we can share the Gospel of Christ in the midst.
What is wrong?
Today, we talk about the Lord as a miracle machine or a fairy spreading healing dust, or money from heaven. When we water down the Gospel or use false doctrine to entice people, we are not concerned about the souls. We are more concerned about numbers or trophies. Others pray for things, and when they do not get what they want, they walk away from the Lord. Even Christians walk away because they never had a relationship with Him; they only wanted something from Him. That is not God’s fault, it is the fault of the false teachers who preach health and wealth, and the responsibility of those who were seeking the Lord for the wrong reasons.
When Jesus healed ten men with Leprosy, only one came back and praised the Lord (Luke 17:11-19). Jesus asked, “Did I not heal ten men with leprosy”? We need to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and His Crucifixion in its entirety by the power of His Holy Spirit and clothed with Christ Jesus by having a relationship with Him through His Holy Word, fellowship with other believers, prayer, worship, and participation.
What is the Remedy, and how has the Lord answered my questions, doubts, and uncertainties?
Jesus is the Remedy; He paid the ultimate sacrifice for the sins of the world, and He gives us the power to do God’s will (Acts 2). Yes, He is also our provider and provides for our every need; physical, mental, and spiritual.
The storms of our past produced by such pain will be for good. Yes, I pondered on these questions in my own heart, questions about life or death. The Holy Spirit has given me answers from within the pages of His Holy Bible, prayer, classmates, friends, counselors, Professors, and the literature of our studies. Through my family in Christ, I was encouraged, comforted, and enlightened.
Where am I in the story?
Lastly, I realized that it doesn’t matter where I am in this story, He remains faithful, and wherever I am, He says, “I AM’. It is a straightforward answer; I have a tiny part in this story. We are a community of One in Christ Jesus. These are what we should share with those we encounter in a fallen world. We should let people see the light of Christ shine brightly through our broken lives or our broken bodies.
The Body of Christ has many parts, and each should do their role in the Kingdom of God, bringing glory to God in every aspect of this world. Some are leaders in the Church, government, businessmen, and women. We all have a part in this story, and we are working for the Lord.
References
Bartholomew, G. Craig, Goheen, W. Michael, The True Story of the Whole Bible
Holy Bible, NKJV
