John was an
angry man. At one time he wanted to bring down fire from heaven and destroy the
Samaritan village. John was also a proud and ambitious man who wanted to sit on
a throne next to Jesus. But as he got older and matured, this angry and
ambitious man turned into an amazing Apostle of Love. His favorite adjective to
address his followers was "My Dear Children" or "My Little
Children". He concluded that the ground of our existence is the Love of
God. He said; "This is how God
showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we
might live through him" (1 John 4:9).
Paul brings the
reality of this love of God in his personal experience and says; "I have
been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The
life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me
and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20).
Love of God
covers every aspect of our life whether we live in the most advanced nations or
in the most destitute nations of the earth. Love of God gives us hope and
reasons to hope for a better life there.
Living in cities
like Tokyo and Seoul, you have access to the best healthcare in the world, you
have the cleanest environment and catching some dreadful diseases is very
unlikely. Some of the best educational institutes in the world make their homes
in cities like these. The crime rates are falling every year and you can walk
in any street at any time of the night without the fear of being knifed or
gunned downed. But the only thing you need in cities like these is the Money.
If you have it, you probably can live a life without ever asking God's help so
far as it relates to the material existence.
But living in
nations that are rife with poverty and corruption, terrorism and crimes, money
does not have the all answering power. There are no good hospitals to treat
your illnesses and diseases even if you have all the money in the world. There
is no security to protect your life and property and the danger of terrorism
and extortion take away your peace of mind.
But the love of
God covers us all whether we live in the affluent or a destitute nation. People
in Tokyo and Seoul need money from God to be able to benefit from the best
facilities available to them; without money, life is simply unlivable in cities
like these. But we must be mindful of not accusing them of following the
prosperity gospel when they believe God for meeting their financial needs.
People in
Bangladesh, Baghdad or in between need divine healing, divine provisions and
angelic protection. But we must be mindful of not accusing them of superstition
for asking the pastor to pray for their headache, stomachache and the danger
around the corner. Most of the church members that we have in Nepal and India
have come to Christ after experiencing divine healing. And, we can say the same
thing for believers in the affluent nations where the promise of financial
blessing becomes so appealing to those who are desperately in need.
The promise of
financial prosperity and divine healing fall within the boundaries of God's
love so that his people, wherever they live, may have life and have it to the
full. Before you accuse some for one or the other, know that if it is not for
the love of God, you won't be able to point your finger.
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