DOING GOD’S WORK

          A young lady I led to Christ told me this story of a widow she knew. The woman was active in the church choir. One day, she had a special ministration to render at the church’s vigil; but her son was very ill and despite treatment, he had stopped breathing and gave up the ghost. The woman was at her wit’s end. What to do? She seemed to find strange strength like the Shunamite woman in 2Kings 4:18-37, who in similar circumstance said: “It is well.” She laid the dead boy on the bed, covered him with a wrapper, locked her door and hurried to the church to perform worship assignment. In the wee hours of the morning, as she made her way home after the vigil, she was wondering what to do next – how to contact her late husband’s family and inform them of the tragedy that had befallen her. As she arrived home, one of the neighbours started shouting at her and calling her name – irresponsible, heartless woman. How could she leave her home and lock in a little boy alone in the room at night. Uncared for? Apparently the boy had made a terrible racket in the night screaming and banging on the door of the mother’s room.  It was the commotion that got the neighbours to force the door open to free and rescue the “neglected” tot. What a terrible mother she! The woman didn’t know whether to laugh or cry or scream and she did all three together. The father of the prodigal son in the Bible had said: “This, my son, was lost, but now is found.” This widow told her amazed neighbours. “This, my son, was dead, but now is alive again. As I went doing God’s work, God came to my home and brought my son back to life.

          There are many examples of people sacrificing time, effort and money for God’s work, only to find the Lord rewarding them in their area of need. I remember one pharmacist giving a testimony that every time he left office on an evangelistic tour, he came back to find sales and the finances of his pharmacy at a staggering high. When he noticed this repeatedly, he concluded that it was wise to spend more time going about God’s business because God, who is a fantastic and expert business person, would in turn come back to buttress the business left behind.

          There are, on the other hand, some Christians who think that they are doing God a favour using their talents, time and substance in His services. Some feel important and occasionally want to show that they are indispensable. They could fake an illness or invent some reason to be away from an important assignment. That is pride. Proverbs 6:16-17 read.

These six things does the Lord hate; yea seven, are an abomination unto Him. A proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood…