Thoughts for another day

May 23, 2013.

Today's verse: Lk. 22:28. You are those who have stood by me in my trials; (NRSV – copy. ack.)

(Pls. read the above before you read further.  Thanks)

What a blessed thing to hear the Savior, the Lord of all mankind, the King of the universe say this about you.  Going back to the time He walked the face of the earth and in this context, the apostles, because of their conceit that made them ponder who among them was the greatest, were aptly brought down to earth by the Lord when He defined that His disciples are not to chase after human glory.  Rather they’re to be as servants, equipped to serve His body.  He then gave them the Promise of greatness conferring on them a kingdom where they would eat and drink with Him.  And He said this, because they stood by Him in His trials. 

I will just dwell on the Words of the Savior as He says even today: ‘You are those who have stood by Me in My trials.’  Look at the gratitude on His face as He says this and He doesn’t leave it at that; He also rewards. Take our situation today; is it very much different?  There’re millions and millions of people on earth today and just as our Lord was reviled then, He is reviled today too.  Not Himself per se, but His church, His very body.  Look and see how they persecute Christians around the world and then ask: are we standing by them in their trials, viz. in the trials of the church.  Then, look at the corruption the world is caught up in, there’re so many wrongs: abortions, same sex love and marriages (sic).  Are we willing to stand by sane voices and go against them, even if we seem to be foolish in the eyes of a so called ‘enlightened’ world, where homosexuality is no longer a sin, but a third aspect of sexuality and therefore, normal! 

Are we standing by the Lord when He is tried by the media; not Him but His men, preachers who preach zealously that there’s only one God and His name is Jesus Christ.  Are we with them when they’re ridiculed and called to be ‘disturbers of the peace’?  And there are so many other situations where time and again the Lord is tried in so many corners of the world.  Are we standing by Him, even by simply praying so the situation will change?  So people who ridicule the Lord will have their hearts changed and now start worshipping Him.  If we are then one day, our ears will rise in delight when He says, ‘You have stood by Me in My trials, come home dear one!’