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Come and see: A message of hope.

“Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” was Nathaniel’s rhetorical question to Philip; Who doesn’t know what Nazareth is known for? What is expected of that small, insignificant and uncivilized village where everything but good is its hall mark?

Nazareth is a small city surrounded by hills, so we can liken the village to being in the valley and isolated from recognition and civilization. It lacked in every good thing imaginable.

History has it that during the time of Jesus, the population was about 200 to 500 people. So Nazareth was starkly poor in all kinds of resources, including human resources.

The obscurity of the land had conferred a measure of insignificance on its inhabitants; That means neither good things nor good people can emerge from Nazareth. It was that bad.

To be born a Nazarene would most likely be a curse because one’s fate has been determined from birth— No good thing can come out from such a person. The obscurity of the land had conferred a measure of insignificance on its inhabitants; That means neither good things nor good people can emerge from Nazareth. It was that bad.

Nathaniel was very blunt and asked a very sincere question. How will Philip tell him there is a Jesus of Nazareth because it doesn’t add up?. Sepphoris and Capernaum are better places compared to Nazareth. There had to be a mix up somewhere because Jesus Christ, considering all the good things spoken concerning him, cannot possibly hail from the least, poorest, and worst of all villages.

Not only did he see, he believed instantly

“ Come and see,” was Philip’s response to convince Nathaniel to follow him. So he followed him to see if there is perhaps another Jesus asides the one who was prophesied in the scriptures.

Jesus was happy to see how Nathaniel’s curiosity had made him follow Philip to come see him. Nathaniel came and saw there was indeed a Jesus of Nazareth.

Not only did he see, he believed instantly after a few moment of interaction he had with Jesus that left him in awe. That experience changed his life course completely. After his encounter with Jesus, he believed that truly, good things can come out of Nazareth.

Friends, this message is directed to every condition that resembles the previous state of Nazareth in your life. Imagine if there was no Jesus of Nazareth, then total oblivion becomes the lot of that village. Nothing good would have ever come out of it unless God decided to glorify himself in the humble state of Nazareth.

Have you given up on yourself and felt nothing good can come out of you because of your unpalatable background or abysmal conditions of life that have caused a disarray in the great plans you have made for the future?

God can still cure your deficiencies with his sufficiency.

Perhaps several people have taunted you, directly or indirectly, on how wacky your life has been, and this has subtly drained your enthusiasm to live and strive for the best: Now you leave whatever happens to chance. If the story of Nazareth could change for good, yours can change too because Jesus who did that of Nazareth is still the same, and he will bring good things out of your life, only if you allow him. Do not despair and give up when God has barely started with you.There is still hope for you, my friend, and Jesus can restore vigor and precision to your life. God can still cure your deficiencies with his sufficiency.

This is a balm of hope to soothe the wounds of the hopeless

Do you know your weaknesses and struggles are not meant to break you? Rather, they serve as attractants to the power of God that will empower you to break through. Nazareth’s obscurity paved the way for prosperity when Jesus showed up. Thesame can happen when you place Jesus as 1 in front of your many zeroes of life; You can see how the table turn for your good when Jesus steps in. This is a balm of hope to soothe the wounds of the hopeless.

Good things will definitely and continually come out of your life if you place Jesus at the center of everything in your life. You will see it, others will come and see it too and call several others to come and see the miracle of transformation in your life. So, cheer up!

Victoria C. Aladi
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Obedience Uncategorized

HIDDEN ANSWERS

“Hellooo there!”

Naaman called out, on his arrival at Elisha’s residence.

“Oh! There you are Captain Naman,” Elisha replied as he welcomed him. Immediately, he furthered ” all you’ve got to do to rid yourself of this ailment is this; get yourself down to river Jordan and dip yourself in it seven times, then you will be clean.”

That was all. Elisha said no more.

Naaman was confused. Was that all to his healing? Shouldn’t the prophet take a practical approach? He just sat there and mouthed few words, and that’s all?

“That prophet had the nerves to tell me to wash in Jordan?” He began with utmost dissatisfaction.

” What a derogatory remark to my status? I thought he would come up to me, call upon the God of Israel, and strike the leprosy off my body; but what do I have here? Jordan of all rivers! Aren’t there Abana and Pharpar better rivers than that despicable Jordan?”

 All these rhetoric questions were hauled by Naaman at whoever cared to listen to how he felt.

 His servants who were with him the whole while he ranted on his disapproval of the prophet’s directives began to reason with him;

” Master, if the prophet had bidden you to do a greater works than this, you wouldn’t have hesitated. How much more when he had told you to wash and be clean? It’s a much easier way to be free from this reproach. How long do you want to remain with this disease? I think it’s better we headed Jordan’s way and obeyed what the prophet had said. What do you think of this, master?,” One of his servants would have said, with the rest supporting him, and encouraging their master to obey prophet Elisha’s instructions.

Being a down to earth person who had previously listened to his little maid, he yielded to his servants advice for him to obey. He wouldn’t rebuff their reasoning this time because they proved a point.

Together, they all went down to Jordan. He alighted from his carriage and dipped himself into Jordan for seven times. To his surprise and joy, his skin came back whole and healthy like that of a new born child.

He was so happy that he had to return to the prophet with eulogies for the God of Israel, and offered to give the prophets some valuables, which Elisha refused.

If Naaman had stuck to his initial opinion, gotten stiff-necked and rejected his servants’ pleas, he would have remained with the leprosy. He would have remained as that mighty Syrian captain, “who was but a leper” . Who knows, the ailment might have gotten worsened with a more lethal effect. He might have been relieved of his position as a captain, but for his decision to wash in Jordan.

His answer was hidden in Jordan, and he found it when he obeyed.

There is a cogent lesson I would like us to derive from this biblical story.

The dealings between Elisha and Naaman mirrors the dealings between God and some people.

There are many who are waiting to be hand stricken to get miracles, some are waiting to get this special feeling that would confirm that this is from God. Some are waiting to see special signs, experience divine encounters, etc that would satisfy their quests before they embark on a mission.

While all these are not wrong in themselves, they become wrong when we prioritize them above God’s commandments- what God had told us to do.

If God had given us an instruction on what to do to get what we want, we shouldn’t continue to seek for signs and await immediate downpour of answers. Our answers lie in doing what God has instructed us to do. 

Many wait in vain to receive a response they would have long gotten if they had embarked on the mission God assigned them. Let’s not forget that sometimes, answers can be swift, other times they would be embedded in the process we have been assigned to follow, like it was for Naaman.

Are you waiting on God for anything and it seems it’s taking forever? Check deeper within your spirit. Has God dropped the answers in the form of tasks that you have been evading these while?

Is there a river Jordan somewhere that you’ve rejected? Or are you waiting for God to change his mind and change Jordan to Abana or Pharpar?

God’s mind will not change. Jordan remains Jordan, and you must wash in it to be free of all the “buts” that had burdened you these while.

It’s high time we headed Jordan’s way, like Naaman,in full obedience to do what we have been commanded by God and stop making unnecessary complaints.

Our blessings lie in doing our assignments. Let’s embrace these tasks and do them wholeheartedly . It’s only until then we will get the ” new skin” we desire.

God bless you.

Victoria C. Aladi