“Hear, Understand And Turn To The LORD For Healing!”

“Hear, Understand And Turn To The LORD For Healing!”(Mt.13:10-17).
After a few months of stay in his new parish, the young minister noted that the people were too used to “odontol” or “afofo” (locally distilled spirit). In one sermon he decided to show how dangerous the much intake of the drink was to the body. He brought a half full glass of odontol and a life earthworm. In the course of the preaching he took the earthworm and put it in the glass of odontol. The warm died instantly. The people jubilated and said, “so odontol is a warm medicine as well!”
This is what is called, “unintended consequTo ences!” “Unintended consequences are the results of an action that differ from the expected outcome. As the name implies, these consequences are not the intended outcome of the action taken. Unintended consequences can be either positive or negative.”
The telltales are verifiable indicators that in a few years time Africa will be the most Christian populated continent. Not only that, African founded churches are gradually becoming the vibrant churches of Europe and the US.
But the question is, “What kind of Christianity?” One reason for the spread of half-baked gospel within the continent is the result of intended consequences.
Yes, you said what you said, but what did the people hear? Like in the illustration above, the preacher wanted to demonstrate that odontol kills, but what the people learned was that odontol is good to kill worms in the body.
It is the unintended consequences that pushes majority Africans to reach for the gospel in the hope that it is a panacea for poverty, hunger, disease, superstition, etc.
Again, we ask, “What did you hear?” The disciples came to the Lord Jesus Christ and wanted to know why he spoke to the people in parables? His response: “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. This is why I speak to them in parables:
‘Though seeing, they do not see, though hearing, they
do not hear or understand.’…”
However, those who see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn to the Lord will be healed.
Dear friend, let us continue to seek understanding through the scriptures and turn to our God for healing and salvation.
Prayer: Holy Spirit help me to see, hear and understand, and turn to the Lord for healing. Amen!
Have a blessed day! Peace be with you!
Rev Babila Fochang.