In Luke 17: 33, the Lord said, "Whoever seeks to gain his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will preserve it."
Whenever a member of my family needs help, they turn to me. I was the last to start my own family because I have to look after the needs of my nephews and nieces. I became a second parent to almost all of them and some are now well-off profesionals. Looking back at this life of mine, I can say that if only I have chosen to look after myself and give priority to my own family's future, I could have ended up living the life I wanted in terms of acquring assets and properties that would have made me stable and prosperous. I guess this is the kind of heart that the Lord had placed in me. Today, while those I love reaps off bountiful harvest from the good seed that I have planted in them side by side with their parents, I still struggle to make both ends meet for my own family. I am no longer as young and dynamic as I was before, full of conviction and determination to position myself where others shall bow before me and look up to me as the one responsible in shaping their lives. I may have acted as a god to the lives of other people but the bottom line is "I have completely blinded myself to the fact that I was only being used as the Lord's channel, for His grace to flow over the lives of those whom we both loved".
God chooses people to be His channel or instruments of grace. These people usually possess a heart that is unselfish and kind, who delights when love is expressed by way of being generous to others. They place the needs of others on top of their own because of so much love that was stored in their hearts. But such people if not centered on the Lord, could be blinded and deceived to exercise self-righteousness thereby depriving themselves of the even greater reward that is in store for them in heaven. Once they enter a state of being where they look upon themselves as the giver and telling others, "If it is not for me, you will not be in the place you are now" or "I have always been self-sufficient all my life that is why I could help other people" then, you have already cashed out your reward. As the Lord said in Matthew 6:1, “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven."
If you have experienced this rare privilege of loosing your life for the sake of the Lord (Philippians 1:29) by way of allowing Him to work in you as His channel or instrument of grace, I now invite you to pray with me for all those whom we love so dearly.
Lord, in the days when I have to suffer for Your sake so that others may live, most especially those whom I love so dearly, keep me strong in faith that my true reward is great. Life's comfort and pleasure in the world can be very deceiving but at the end of the day, when all things fail, I could only turn to You and cry out for help. Please guide my thoughts and heart to remain focused on Your will and not be blinded by any success, achievement or material gain, for all things in this world will eventually end but Your love endures forever. I am Yours and You are mine and that is what truly counts for in the day of judgment, I know that I will eventually have to face You and account for all the things that I have done be it good or bad. Thank you for those times in the past when You have used me to be an intrument of Your grace to those whom we love as I earnestly pray that they continue to receive such gifts and blessings from You who is the true Giver of all. As I continue to journey in these most trying times when life seems so low, I lift up to You all our needs so that we can continue to joyfully serve You. Shield us against any form of pain or harm and make us all live in love and peace all the days of our lives. All these we pray, in Jesus Name. Amen.
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