READ: MARK 5:22-23,
35-43
Some years ago, I was
invited as guest speaker at a garden party in an exclusive, high brow
residential area. I arrived the venue quite early, hence I was made to sit for
a while in the house of my host. It was an exquisite parade of wealth and
splendor. I had never seen such brazen display of wealth in my life. The house
had six living rooms. I was kept in one. From there, I could see five other
living rooms in ascending order of affluence. It was as if prosperity was being
paraded. After surveying the entire environment, I decided to change the topic
of my message from, ‘Your miracle is around’ to ‘What the Lord has done for me,
I cannot tell it all’, or ‘Bless the Lord, O my soul.’ I felt my host did not
need a miracle.
While trying to decide which topic to speak on, the Holy Spirit nudged me saying, “Son, these people need a miracle more than you could ever imagine.” Wealthy and successful people need more miracles than ordinary people. Influential and affluent people have bigger challenges and problems. Behind the outward splendour of wealth and fame, lies a ‘but’ which has caused them pain, sorrow and tears. 2 Kings 5 talks about Naaman, the captain of the Syrian army. He was a great, honourable, and mighty man of valour. The Lord had used him to bring victory to Syria. What excellent credentials! Yet he had a ‘but’ in his life –intended to spoil the good things about him. He was a leper.
As successful as he was, he needed a miracle. Take a look at every wealthy person around you. There is a ‘but’ in their lives. That ‘but’ could be the presence of a deformed child or a chronic drug addict in the family. It could be the absence of children in the home. It could be a character flaw that frequently brings them into public ridicule. That ‘but’ in their lives becomes the opening through which the Gospel should reach them. They may belong to other religions and be unfriendly, but if you tell them of the One who can take away the ‘but,’ they will listen. In any case, if they are not born again, they will end up in hell. The rich also cry. Have compassion on them today.
While trying to decide which topic to speak on, the Holy Spirit nudged me saying, “Son, these people need a miracle more than you could ever imagine.” Wealthy and successful people need more miracles than ordinary people. Influential and affluent people have bigger challenges and problems. Behind the outward splendour of wealth and fame, lies a ‘but’ which has caused them pain, sorrow and tears. 2 Kings 5 talks about Naaman, the captain of the Syrian army. He was a great, honourable, and mighty man of valour. The Lord had used him to bring victory to Syria. What excellent credentials! Yet he had a ‘but’ in his life –intended to spoil the good things about him. He was a leper.
As successful as he was, he needed a miracle. Take a look at every wealthy person around you. There is a ‘but’ in their lives. That ‘but’ could be the presence of a deformed child or a chronic drug addict in the family. It could be the absence of children in the home. It could be a character flaw that frequently brings them into public ridicule. That ‘but’ in their lives becomes the opening through which the Gospel should reach them. They may belong to other religions and be unfriendly, but if you tell them of the One who can take away the ‘but,’ they will listen. In any case, if they are not born again, they will end up in hell. The rich also cry. Have compassion on them today.
MEMORIZE: 2
CORINTHIANS 1:3 –Blessed by God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the
Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort.
