A few lessons from the parable of minas

 

Lk 19:12-27, “He said therefore, "A nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return. Calling ten of his servants, he gave them ten minas, and said to them, 'Engage in business until I come.' But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, 'We do not want this man to reign over us.' When he returned, having received the kingdom, he ordered these servants to whom he had given the money to be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by doing business. The first came before him, saying, 'Lord, your mina has made ten minas more.' And he said to him, 'Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.' And the second came, saying, 'Lord, your mina has made five minas.' And he said to him, 'And you are to be over five cities.' Then another came, saying, 'Lord, here is your mina, which I kept laid away in a handkerchief; for I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man. You take what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.' He said to him, 'I will condemn you with your own words, you wicked servant! You knew that I was a severe man, taking what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow? Why then did you not put my money in the bank, and at my coming I might have collected it with interest?' And he said to those who stood by, 'Take the mina from him, and give it to the one who has the ten minas.' And they said to him, 'Lord, he has ten minas!' 'I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. But as for these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slaughter them before me.'"

In this passage, Jesus explains that a nobleman had to travel far in another country country to be crowned king. Can you imagine Prince Charles or Prince William travelling to China or the US to be crowned? It would be quite strange, would it not? In verse14, we are told that the reason for this journey was that his countrymen hated him and did not wish to be his subjects. There were powers working against him; spiritual powers, for we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against spiritual entities (Eph 6:12). These are territorial spirits capable of using anybody within the territory under their control, to harass another individual or destiny. There are precedents in the Bible. Joseph had to travel very far to be crowned, in spite of his noble birth and evident calling; same with Nehemiah (vs. 2.6). As a child, Jesus had to flee to Egypt and when He came back, He had to leave Nazareth –where He was not received- and go elsewhere to do the work of the ministry (the anointing). Can it be that the LORD is calling you to leave where you are so that you can reign?

He asked Abraham to leave his fatherland for an unknown destination. When we think about this, what usually comes to mind is Abraham extraordinary faith. But is it possible that, beyond the test of his faith, GOD simply wanted to remove him from a place where powers were working against him? After all, did He not tell Joseph to take Mary, his wife, and the child (Jesus) to Egypt until those who wanted the Christ dead were no more? That is, until the spiritual climate of the land was once again favourable to them (Mat 2:13, 20). If there was one human being on earth at the time for whom GOD would/could/should have mobilised the armies of heaven, it would have been for that child: Jesus. Yet, GOD advised the flight… As long as the freedom that He has granted to some powers has not expired, He cannot directly intervene and must trick them in order to get away with certain things. He could have simply shortened Herod’s reign ; inasmuch as he could have shorten Saul’s as well, instead of letting him persecute David; but He did not do it, because He is true to His word and His gifts and calling are irrevocable (Rom 11:29). Remember Job. When He gave the green light to the devil, He gave him the green light. The only restriction was not to kill him. If the city is resisting you; if the land is refusing you its rain; could it be that GOD wants you to change locations?

This parable is very similar to the parable of talents (Mat 25); but there are also fundamentally different. The parable of talents illustrates the equal fidelity of two servants with different degrees of advantage at the beginning. They both looked after their master’s business wholeheartedly and fructified what they had been given. It shows the fact that all the fingers are not of same length; and that our birth, education and environment will affect our capacity or starting potential. However, the parable of minas illustrates different degrees of improvement of the same opportunities; it is all about what people can do with the same opportunity. It is like in the church. We all have the same Bible and listen to the same sermon; yet, some people grab the message and run with it; others walk with it; some other sit down with it; others fall asleep with it and some do not even bother listening to it. Some people are attentive and hungry for the message, while some others are forgetful. As soon as they step out of the church building and greet a few people, they have forgotten all about it and their good resolutions. The worst is that, when the time comes to show results, they will not even take the blame for their negligence and laziness. It is the pastor’s fault: “He has preached a hard message. Who can listen to it?” (Jn 6:60) It is GOD’s fault: He asks for things that are just impossible to do in the 21st century!

We may not all have a golden spoon in our mouths at birth; but the church is the place where the LORD resets all the clocks back and puts us all on the starting line. After this, it is up to each and every one of us to run as to win the prize of his or her destiny. You desire ten cities? Simple: work more than anybody else to multiply what you have received by ten.

Have a wonderblessed rest of the week!

PS: By the way, I am sorry about Monday. I am presently on holiday and my usual routine is somehow difficult to maintain.

Unique destinies

 

The arrival of the Royal Baby has inspired this article. It cannot be more obvious that we are not all born the same way and we do not die the same way – and I am not speaking in medical terms. When J.F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Diana, Michael Jackson or Whitney Houston died, the whole world felt the shockwave. Now, the world seems to live to the rhythm of Mandela’s hospitalisations. When my grandfather died, well…….. he just died. Nothing special to say or add. Like him, many loved ones die every day in a certain form of anonymity.

The United Kingdom caught the royal Baby fever a few months ago. Without even knowing the gender, people were already selling all sorts of memorabilia everywhere. Since the start of the month, journalists from all over the world have literally been camping in front of Buckingham Palace and St Mary’s Hospital, lest they are guilty of the blunder of the century: missing THIS birth.

When Kensington Palace - Prince William’s residence- announced yesterday morning that Kate had gone into labour and had been admitted at St Mary’s earlier on, men, women and children started contracting with her in the kingdom – in fact, they were not alone as Italy, Spain, France, Belgium and the USA, just to name a few, also had contractions. Finally, at 04:24pm, the deliverance happened. The Royal Baby made his royal entry into the world. 8lbs 6oz of rosy flesh, the heaviest future British king to be born in recent history. Guardsmen played 'Congratulations' to mark his arrival, ahead of the Changing of the Guard. A town crier ascended the steps to the Lindo Wing of the Hospital and heralded the news to the assembled well-wishers and media:

"On this day, the 22nd of July in the year 2013, we welcome, with humble duty, a future king, the firstborn of Their Royal Highness the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the third in line to the throne. And our new prince is the third great-grandchild of Her Majesty the Queen and the grandchild of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales. May he be long-lived, happy, and glorious, and one day reign over us. God save the Queen!"

Today, at 2pm, there was  a 41-gun royal salute by the Royal Horse Artillery at Green Park, staging 71 horses; and a 62-gun salute at the Tower of London by the City of London's Army Reserve Regiment, The Honourable Artillery Company. The 21 additional guns are for the citizens of London to show their loyalty to the monarch. Finally, in home and international waters, all of Her Majesty's ships are flying the Royal Navy Ensign flag from their mast to mark the birth of the prince.

Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge, did not hold a son into his hands: his eyes beheld a king to be. I thought of the exceptional fate of this little one who has not chosen to be born, but that GOD has chosen and sent. Some will say that the lot has fallen on him; then, what a lot! What a promising and glorious destiny! All this ‘fuss’ for a child who, given the longevity of the Windsor – bless them -, may not reign before his fifties! In other words, many of those who have witnessed his birth may be dead and buried by then and his contemporaries may have no idea of the ‘royal-baby-mania’ of July 2013.

All this made me catch a glimpse of the spiritual dimension of the event and it also reminded me of our LORD. Before He was born, his parents also knew that He was not going to be like any other child. When they held Him in their hands, they held the Saviour of the world, the Christ, the LORD. Their eyes beheld the King of kings. People equally came from afar to witness the event: shepherds and wise men. It was not just a Town crier who bellowed the news out; angels sort of sang His coming instead: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased! (Lk 2:13-14). This is without mentioning the star which specially guided the magi to Him! We are not all born the same way. Some seem to have received it all from Day-1, like Prince Charles, William, this new Royal Baby and Jesus. But, rather than envying them, let us remember that to whom much is given, much is also expected and required. If the guy who was given five talents had buried them all like the one who received one, it would have been the height of laziness and folly. So, instead of envying these ‘privileged’ few ones, we need to realise that even if we did not receive five talents, we may have received two or one and it is up to us to multiply them wisely in such a way that, even if our birth was not as noisy as that of the future king of the United Kingdom, our death will make up for it. Martin Luther King, Mandela, JFK, Whitney Houston, Diana and Michael Jackson were all born in ‘silence’, but they all died in tremendous ‘noise’. Let they who have ears, let them hear.

I wish us all an exceptional destiny. It is never too late to start a revolution.

Have a wonderblessed week in HIS wonderful presence.

The responsibility of faith

 

My pastor said a few things this week-end which were a real eye-opener for me and I thought it was nice expounding on them and sharing them with you. Quoting Isaiah 55:11 - GOD’s word does not return void to Him, but accomplishes what GOD has purposed and succeeds in the thing for which it was sent -, he explained on Friday that ensuring the materialization of the word is actually the responsibility of the one who has received it. We are used to believe that it is GOD’s job to make it happen; but in fact, GOD sends His word, a seed, and it is up to us to see to it that it bears the most and the best fruits possible. The word gives us a glimpse of what can be done; it makes us envision what we had never thought about; but once we have seen it, the ball is now in our court and our responsibility is now engaged. Indeed, contrary to popular –Christian- belief, if you have faith, then after praying for GOD’s favour during your exams, you study even harder. You don’t fold your hands waiting for GOD to do the entire job - a miracle. No, you put even more ardour in your revisions.

This reminded me of farmers. As they labour and sow, they have the harvest in mind. They see the huge sales and the investments that they will make with that money. It is thus because of their faith in what they see in their spirit that they toil and sweat. When you start a business, after praying and fasting for GOD to make it prosper, the living room does not become your new dwelling place; instead, you roll up your sleeves and get stuck in. Faith implies prayer; but the conviction that your prayer has been heard and answered must lead to action: work can begin.

Besides, the way he related faith and works is very interesting. When you read Mk 11:23, “Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and thrown into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him,” you may think that if one truly has faith, they only say it once, with conviction, and that’s it. It is not always easy to know what to do between this verse and others passages, like the story of the widow and the wicked judge in Luke 18, which teach us to persevere. We tend to think that keeping on asking is tantamount to unbelief. However, if you really believe that Mark 11:23 is true, you will speak to the mountain UNTIL it shifts. Ceasing to speak shows that you no longer believe in the feasibility of what you were asking for and now doubt that it will ever work. So, instead of saying: “Be taken up and thrown into the sea”, you now say: “LORD, if it is Your will, cause this mountain to move.”

We need to speak UNTIL the mountain obeys; speak UNTIL we see the result, the fruit of our words. This is why the psalmist said that the words of the LORD are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times (Ps 12:6). GOD’s Word goes through fire –the fire of testing- many times. The fact that you have prayed once or twice and nothing – apparently- happened doesn’t mean that it doesn’t work. Elijah sent his servant back seven times to look for the rain. Naaman had to wash himself seven times in the Jordan and the children of Israel had to walk around Jericho, a whole city, 6 + 7 times as well (1Ki 18:43, 2Ki 5, Jos 6)! In each case, GOD could have performed the miracle the first time, but He didn’t. He let them refine His Word in the furnace. As seven is the number of perfection, we can understand by these examples that, sometime, our prayers also need to be refined through the fire of perfection.

GOD has entrusted us with His Word –the Bible, the sermons, prophecies etc. - ; what are we doing with it? What are we doing to make sure it does not return void to HIM?

Have a wonderblessed week!

In order not to die prematurely…

 

Ex 4:24-26, “At a lodging place on the way the LORD met him and sought to put him to death. Then Zipporah took a flint and cut off her son's foreskin and touched Moses' feet with it and said, "Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me!" So he let him alone. It was then that she said, "A bridegroom of blood," because of the circumcision.”

Freaky title, I know; but anyway this passage tells us how Moses would have died prematurely, if it was not for the wise intervention of his wife. GOD almost killed him because he failed to circumcise his son. The same GOD who had just revealed Himself to him and asked him to deliver a whole people. This is rather disturbing isn’t it? Before Joshua set out to conquer the Promised Land, GOD asked him to circumcise the people (Jos 5:2). Why did GOD not instruct Moses likewise? Why did He not tell him that sanctification, consecration, the setting apart (symbolised for the children of Israel by circumcision) was a prerequisite before any walk in the Name of GOD? GOD’s ways are unpredictable…

At the end of his life, Paul said to Timothy: I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith (2Ti 4:7). He could have simply said that he had finished the race, i.e. accomplish his mission, but he knew it wasn’t just about finishing the race; it was also about fighting the good fight, and competing according to the rules in order to be crowned (2Tim 2.5), and keeping the faith. In another article, I explained that the only thing GOD is interested in, is for His will to be done perfectly – as in Heaven. When He finds someone who is entirely willing to do it, He personally makes sure that this person is protected and all their needs are met, until His will, His purpose, is fulfilled. Paul was kept alive by his faith expressed in running his race according to GOD’s rules, without cheating or taking shortcuts. Encouraged by the popular saying, some people think that the end justifies the means, but nothing can be further from the truth with GOD. It is not enough to go to Jerusalem because: “GOD said.” You must also go there using the road and resources that He has indicated.

I like keeping my husband and daughters informed of the big tasks that GOD gives me. I usually add that if they hear that I have died without doing them, and if they are also aware that I was living in obedience regarding what GOD expected me to do, they should not panic but command me to rise and I will get up. I don’t just say: “If I have not yet done this thing that GOD has asked me to do.” No, it is not enough. I am particular on the fact that they must be aware that I am actively working on the project. Under these conditions if death comes, it can only be premature for me… and for you. And I know what I am talking about. I came very close to death thrice. I was only 5 years old, the first time, when someone tried to cut my destiny short by forcing me to swallow an incredible amount of medicines for adults. I miraculously survived. Then, in May 2007, my heart stopped beating and I sank into unconsciousness… I have kept the five electrocardiograms which prove this. The third time was in February 2008 when I spent four nightmarish days in intensive care. Unfortunately for my enemies, I had barely started what GOD wants me to do and death had to go back empty-handed. Remember that no one could lay a hand on Jesus when His hour had not yet come (Jn 7:30 & 8:20). And when the hour finally came, He knew, because He had nothing else to do. He had glorified the Father by completing the work which had been given to Him to do. “It is finished”, He said, and died (Jn 17:1, 4 and 19:30).

This is why I am not afraid of death. Regardless of the day, it will come to me at the right time. I may go through the fire, the waters or whichever storm, but I know that I will pull through because I have the will of GOD in me. I carry GOD’s mission in me and I am GOD’s key for something that needs to be done. The day I notice that I no longer have any divine assignment, I will tell my loved ones: “Be prepared, because from now on, I can go back to the Father at any time.” We did not come here to visit and just go-by. We were born because we have a mission to accomplish. When that mission is over, it is then time to go back Home.

May GOD help you find your purpose in life and engrace you to do it. Have a wonderblessed week, basking in His presence.

GOD is love…

 

If I were to ask you the meaning of these words, I don’t know if you would be able to tell me? We have repeated or heard them so often that these have become as common as saying: ‘good morning’. If you take a panel of one hundred people, Christian or not, old or young, you may well end up with a hundred possible explanations for this simple phrase: GOD is love.

About twenty years ago, a pastor justified the merits of homosexuality on French TV quoting 1Jn 4:7-8: “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” According to him, two people in love were the exemplification of the love of GOD, irrespective of their gender. Some Christians on the show were pretty shocked by his interpretation of the Scripture: they obviously did not share the same views on love. This is why, at the start, I asked if you could really explain to me, that is, help me understand what it means to say that GOD is love?

If I say: ‘snow white’, rice, trousers or police, these words call the same thing to all our minds. It is true that there are different kinds of rice and trousers, but the general idea is the same for everybody. But when it comes to love in general and GOD’s love in particular, people’s understanding can be at miles from each other. It is a bit like when we say: GOD is great. The understanding of His greatness is not the same for a five year old child and an adult (natural or spiritual).

As for me, I thought I knew and could explain “GOD is love.” But after spending more than a week pondering over it, I have come to realise that I was incapable of understanding it. Let me explain.

Imagine that I hear about a lost tribe in a far away Chinese or Amazonian village while watching the TV; a village with no gas, electricity, running water and, of course, no telephone or internet connection. Imagine that all of a sudden, my heart starts beating for these people to the point that I decide to leave my country, family, and comfort to go there and once there, I am often laughed at, unwelcomed and misunderstood. One day, as I am going to the village square, I find out that its most notorious criminal has finally been arrested and is about to be executed. He has committed the worse possible atrocities which you are free to imagine. The firing squad is ready to shoot. His parents are crying. His widow is desperate. His children are terrorised. The crowd is bloodthirsty and demands swift justice. I come forward and ask to take his place. Something is moving me so much that I want to offer him a second chance, a new life with his loved ones. Over and over again, the soldiers ask me to repeat what I have just said. They ask whether I really understand the implications of my request: I will never see my family and country again. Just yesterday, this vile guy showered me with insults. He even threatened to slit my throat. Do I really want to save such a person and take his place? They check that I am sane and not suicidal and conclude that I am in full possession of my senses. They ask the prisoner if he is willing to exchange his place. Of course, he is! He looks at me, dumbfounded, his mouth wide open, but accepts. They release him. I now move forward to take his place and die, my heart full of something pure, deep, burning and powerful for him. I know that he may never be grateful. I know he might even go back to his old vicious life, rendering my death and sacrifice vain. I know that this village might never understand the reason for my gesture and why I left everything to come to them and die so disgracefully. Nevertheless, I still give my life for this man… And Jesus did far more than this for each and every one of us.

These are the thoughts that have recently flooded my mind while I was meditating on the love of GOD manifested in Christ Jesus. This is how I understood that I could neither comprehend, nor explain it. Just like this criminal, I can accept and receive it, but it is a love that transcends everything that a human mind can grasp or conceive (Is 55:8-9). I can do what I have just described and I do not know if someone other than Christ Jesus can do it. However, if nobody else can, then nobody else truly understands this way of loving.

GOD is love: Yes! I accept it by faith, knowing that I will finally understand it one day. He is Almighty: Yes! But am I even capable of imagining ALL that His power epitomises?

Have a great meditative week.