Weekly message: Get hold of God persistently, not of the answer
By Rev.
Katherine Liu Bruce
Christian Arts
Ministries; Biblical precepts & Gospel music; Pastoral ministry &
counseling
Date:
1/28/2023
Are you a person of dejection, easily give up,
blame God, self and others? Are you a person of insistence on the point that
God answers prayer? When prayers are unanswered, you become dejected and blame
God? If depression and oppression visit
you, you are to blame, God is not, nor is anyone else. “Dejection springs from one of two sources I
have either satisfied a lust or I have not. Lust means I must have it at once.
Spiritual lust makes me demand an answer from God, instead of seeking God who
gives the answer.”[1] My friends, ask yourselves this question in
every scenario “Am I a person demand an answer from God instead of seeking God
who gives the answer? Am I a person get
hold of God instead of the answer?
Jesus unveiled that “the Son of Man on the third day he will rise
again.” (Luke 18:33), but the disciples didn’t understand any of this. In a village called Emmaus, Jesus appeared to
His disciples, yet, they didn’t recognize him, they stood still, their faces
downcast and said, “ Are you only a
visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in
these day? … But we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem
Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place…”
(Luke24: 21). Jesus’ presence is with
His disciples on the third day, yet, disciples’ face still were downcast and
had hoped that Jesus was the one who was going to redeem Israel and it is the
third days since all this took place.
Today, you may demand the answer is
now immediate present, but Jesus said is “on third day” and He has not done it;
therefore, you imagine that you are justified in being dejected and in blaming
God. The meaning of prayer is that we get hold of God, not of the answer.
Ø Keep seeking God persistently, not for the
answer, but to hold of God. When the Son of Man comes, He will find faith on
the earth
Jesus told his disciples a parable to
show them that they should always pray and not give up. He said, “In a certain town there was a judge
who neither feared God nor cared about men. And there was a widow in that town
who kept coming to him with the plea, “Grant me justice against my adversary.”
For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, “Even though I don’t
fear God or care about men, yet because this wisdom keeps bothering me, I will
see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually wear me out with her
coming.” And the Lord said, “Listen to
what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen
ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell
you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of
Man comes, will He find faith on the earth? (Luke 18:1-8).
This parable indicates that persistence of
seeking God, who gives the answer, and she gets hold of God, God finally bring the
justice for her and gives an answer to the desires of her heart. The question
is, in this gradation, do we have such faith persistently hold of God? And when the Son of Man comes, will He find
faith on the earth?
Ø What is impossible with men is possible with
God, when God grants the answer, shows your gratitude.
There were many sickness came to
Jesus and sought God for healing, by their faith, Jesus granted them healing
and restored their health. When Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria
and Galilee, as he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” When He saw
them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to
the priests.” And as they went, they
were cleansed. One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God
in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. And he
was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nice? Was no one
found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” (Luke 17:11-19)
The priests had to certify the
cleaning of a leper (Lev.14:1-32). The ten men exhibited faith by starting on their way to the priest before being
cleansed. Ten men had leprosy followed Jesus’ instruction, “go” and show
themselves to the priests, by such faith and believing, ten men were healed,
but just only one who was a Samaritan came back, threw himself at Jesus’ feet
and thanked Him and praised God. “What is impossible with men is possible with
God” (Luke 18:27). When God grants the answer, and restores your health, show
your gratitude to God.
My friends, the meaning of prayer is that we
get hold of God persistently, not of the answer, let God grants you answer in
His time instead of demanding an answer from God. By your faith, belief and inclined to persist
in a course, you will receive the answer, ““Receive your sight; your faith has
healed you.” (Luke 18:42)
or “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity” (Luke 13:12). “It is impossible to be well
physically and to be dejected. Dejection is a sign of sickness, and the same
thing is true spiritually. Dejection spiritually is wrong, and we are always to
blame for it.”[2] Keep seeking God, get hold of God and pray
persistently until God grants you an answer, do not let your spirit become
dejection, but keep rejoicing in the Lord and have faith!
Bibliography,
Ryrie,
Charles C. The Ryrie study Bible (NIV). Chicago, IL: The Moody Bible
Institute, 1986.
Chambers, Oswald. My Utmost for His Highest. NY: Dodd, Mead & Company, Inc, 1935.
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