Right now in Trinidad and Tobago there is
much speculation about the economic state of our country. A deep sense of
concern is very much apparent. It’s almost as if the atmosphere is rife with
fear and worry. In this beloved country however, it’s not speculative to infer
that the native countrymen will eventually become dismissive of the temporal
threat of an economic crash. The masses will continue to spend and live as they
did before with the misguided belief that it will affect everyone else but
them. After all we’ve been blessed so much. Some say that G-d is a Trini. I
don’t know about that. We’ve escaped so many natural disasters that he might as
well be.
Anyway, the bible shows us that many of the
anointed people of G-d in the old days not only survived but also thrived in
times of famine and economic hardships. Many Christians use this as consolation
in this day and time and rightfully so. Still, we need to closely examine the
actions of the patriarchs in order to successfully deduce why they were
blessed. I’ve heard Christians use everything under the sun in order to justify
why they should be blessed. Some say they are just blessed and highly favoured.
Others say its grace.
Blessed and highly favoured has a totally
different face from what we believe it to be. The last person that I read who
was blessed and highly favoured became pregnant out of wedlock as a teenager
with the possibility of death by stoning. Another blessed and highly favoured
young man found himself in a pit begging his brothers to let him out. The
greatest of them all was one whom the bible declares ‘grew in favour with men
and with G-d’ yet he was nailed to a cross, naked and alone. So while being
blessed and highly favoured boasts of many lavish outcomes the process is not
always what we think it to be.
I’ve heard others claim that it is Grace
that affords us blessings. Grace releases favour and all that jazz. There is an
obvious misuse of grace in the ‘church’ today. I’ve seen where one man
declared, “My prosperity is G-d’s priority.” How foolish is that. Your eternal
soul is a priority to G-d. For this reason grace was given. He gave us grace
because his love abounds and he is not willing that any should perish. We need
to stop viewing the things of the Spirit through our carnal eyes.
We have even adopted a fleshly approach in
understanding the Kingdom of G-d. I’ve seen where one prominent minister
devoted the lion’s share of his sermon-time to educate his congregation on ‘why
we shouldn’t eat pork.’ This same man never once stopped to tell his
people why they shouldn’t sin. (Oh Grace covers that…I forgot). A Muslim got a hold of that preacher’s pork
dissertation and posted it online under the tag, why Muslims don’t eat pork. In
other words, this world -renowned preacher was doing a great job in racking-up
pork despising converts. Converts to which religion, I’m not sure.
G-d desires to bless you, he really does.
In my life I’ve been blessed. Still If I never receive a single blessing from
him again, I’d still be grateful. Our G-d Jehovah and Jesus Christ loves
faithfulness and he rewards that. Everyone in the bible who was blessed in hard
times simply remained faithful to G-d. In times of difficulty we tend to
question G-d. The true men and women of G-d have learned to trust and not
question his judgment. I don’t know what you’re going through right now.
Economic hardships? Even if you go broke, still trust and praise him, that’s
faithfulness. Problems in your marriage? Even if your husband/ wife walks out
on you, still trust in G-d and give him praise (marital issues are suck-eye for
G-d). No matter what it is… remain faithful.
