Christianity is Not for the Fainthearted.

After listening to Rev. Jesse Mwai’s sermon on Sunday titled “I need you to survive” it become clear to me that this walk of faith is not cut out from a romantic book but is a hard and rough course that requires total commitment no matter what.

It calls for burning of bridges upon salvation so that one will never be tempted to look back or want to go back to their before life, when they encounter valleys, high seas, drought,desert and as Rev. Mwai mentioned wounds in the hands of brethren.

Sunday’s sermon was drawn for the common Bible story of the Good Samaritan. What was not common was the message Pastor delivered to us. He ably brought out the element of being your brother/sister’s keeper – a good neighbor.

What was profound was the imagery of the 5 types of hands –

a) Hands of robbers – these ones are your folks, trusted and known to you. You pray with them, serve in ministry with them, you have even shared your secrets with them But they turn around and attack you. Inflict pain on you, leaving you naked, stripped off all your dignity to the point of death.
b) Hands of indifference – The Priest and the Levite – these ones have a pius attitude including self preservation – “why should i help, should have known better, it’s not my business, i might also suffer the same fate etc”
c) Hands of the victim (weak) – The poor, the weak, the wounded, the least and the last – all should receive compassion, love and care, nursed back to health or wholeness without counting the cost.
d) Hands of Compassion and e) Hands of nurture/caring hands – Depict the role Jesus plays in our lives and has similar expectations of us. It should not matter what it takes, we are called to emulate the Good Samaritan and the Inn Keeper in this narrative daily in our Christian walk.

But why is it have to be hard??!!! If it is not fellow man stabbing in the back, it is circumstances in life that do not align themselves in our favor further compounding our situations. There are times when it seems like those in the world have an easier or a more rosy life than those called by the name of God. When the Bible talks about being in the “sunless valley of the shadow of death” be sure it’s not out of a fiction movie, we all find ourselves there one time or the other. For sure this is not what I expected when I got born again 14 years ago!!! And I know am not alone here!!!

Listening to Bishop T.D. Jakes earlier today kinda put all the puzzle pieces together for me. He said, the emblem of our faith – The Christian faith, is the cross. This signifies that there will be seasons of trouble, distress and pain. We should expect them. At times they are so severe and seemingly never ending, but just like Jesus triumphed on the cross, so are were poised to triumph but only if we keep at it, never giving up or losing hope.

This could be your season in which God is refining for greatness. So brethren, take heart and remember – Just because you are down does not mean you will not triumph. Just because it is hard, it is not an excuse to give up but a reason to draw close to Him who is our very present help in times of need. See Psalms 46: 1- 7

God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore will we not fear, though the earth do change,
And though the mountains be shaken into the heart of the seas;
3 Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled,
Though the mountains tremble with the [a]swelling thereof. 4 There is a river, the streams whereof make glad the city of God, The holy place of the tabernacles of the Most High. 5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God will help her, [b]and that right early. 6 The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved: He uttered his voice, the earth melted.
7 Jehovah of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our [c]refuge.

American Standard Version (ASV)