The Opportunity in Affliction

Following the terrorist attacks of September 1, 2001, Billy Graham spoke to the people of USA. He said:

“I’ve been asked hundreds of times in my life why God allows tragedy and suffering. I have to confess that I really do not know the answer totally, even to my own satisfaction. I have to accept by faith that God is sovereign, and that He is a God of love and mercy and compassion in the midst of suffering”.

This following verse probably answers that question which baffles most of us. Why me? A question asked through the ages from Job till now. Why me? Why this?

Isaiah 48:10 (KJV) "Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction".

What is quite clear is that no man, good or bad, rich or poor, man or woman, will not go through the tribulations and afflictions of the world. Remember Covid? Remember the fear? Remember who all we lost? Anyone and everyone were at risk. 

We all have to go through that furnace. The difference is we can go it alone or have Gods healing strength and provision with us. And the more we walk with God, the closer we get as a friend. And the more we acquire His wisdom to wait on Him.

Let us not then expect Him to remove the affliction we face but help us get through it with His strength. Adversity and afflictions then can be turned into an opportunity - to build a deeper, wider relationship with God and truly become His friend as was Moses. 

A Peculiar People -II : Pastor Rajiv's Message

BIBLE PASSAGE – 1 PETER 2:9

"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light".

As we saw yesterday, the key phrases are –

A. A chosen people

B. A Holy Nation

C. Gods special possession.

All gearing us towards our purpose which we are called for.

All these four descriptive phrases are similar to the titles used for Israel in Exodus 19:5 & 6 5 “Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. 6 And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.”

These verses talk about a moment of sacred bonding for the people of Israel, Peter uses the same words as being inclusive of the Church, of you and me. Both these verses talk about our responsibility as “priests” – that of our servant hood and a bridge builder between God and man. Charged with such a huge responsibility, how could Israel do this? How can we do this? By “being a Holy nation” in Israel’s case and being “Holy” in our case. And why? So that we let our light, which is a reflection of the light of Jesus Christ, so shine before this dark world that the world will see that light, and recognise where it came from through our praises, and see the way. We have been set apart. And being that, we definitely are a peculiar people, but, only if we recognize our responsibility and purpose, according to scripture and act on it.

Are we actively pursuing that responsibility and purpose is a question we all need to ask ourselves.

Note By the Editor:

On a concluding note, we would just like to quote Olin Williams on this Bible passage –

“The modern church is slowly beginning to lose this. Instead of maintaining God’s holiness and values, the church is becoming to be another social place. Believers are losing their distinctiveness as God’s chosen and not continue in His marvelous light but are regressing into the darkness of the world”.

A Peculiar People: Pastor Rajiv’s Message for the Week

Based on 1 Peter, Chapter2, Verse 9

What if someone came up to you and told you, “You are a peculiar person”, how would you react? surprise? anger? irritation? stunned silence? Well different people would react differently with different emotions.

The truth is that if someone did say that to you it would be taken as a negative comment a derogatory statement and maybe you would not want to associate with that person in the future.

This week we will focus on the fact that we, as followers of Christ ARE a “peculiar people”, as stated in the first half of 1 peter 2:9 in the KJV which says 

“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people;”

So why does the Bible, again and again, set God’s followers apart to the extent of calling them peculiar? Because we have been charged to exhibit properties which are strange and peculiar to the commonly accepted traits of man.

In 1 Peter 2:9, He says “ But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;”

This shows a very special relationship with God our creator as we were chosen by Him, to proclaim Him through our acts and behaviour. This relationship is a sacred bonding.

This kind of a relationship and bonding is not a new thing Peter wrote about. Back in the days of Exodus, it was written:

EXODUS 19: 5 & 6 5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. 6 And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.”

Therefore when God chooses us and we choose to follow Him, we become His treasure, different from all others, becoming a bridge between God and man and keeping ourselves Holy so that we can become His showcase on Earth.

A.W. Tozer sums this up wonderfully when he writes 

“A real Christian is an odd number anyway. He feels supreme love for One whom he has never seen, talks familiarly every day to Someone he cannot see, expects to go to heaven on the virtue of Another, empties himself in order to be full, admits he is wrong so he can be declared right, goes down in order to get up, is strongest when he is weakest, richest when he is poorest and happiest when he feels worst. He dies so he can live, forsakes in order to have, gives away so he can keep, sees the invisible, hears the inaudible and knows that which passeth knowledge.”

Now that we have established our peculiarity, tomorrow on wards we shall delve into each part of the how to the who.