PORK with a side of Faithfulness

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.

When the trying times come, you give him his due and remain faithful. Rejoice in all things. My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations. James 1:2 That’s not easy to do, but it’s not that hard either.  In the recent past, I’ve faced some of the hardest times I’ve ever had to face in my measly thirty-six years of existence on this planet. In the middle of it I began to praise him because I realized that it’s not every day that I get the chance to praise him in persecution and peril. That kind of praise is the best kind. That’s worshipping in truth, no pretentious piety. So, if you must have pork, have it with a supersized side of faithfulness.