“The Lord Is With You…!”

“The Lord Is With You…!”(Acts 23:12-22).
When we were kids, there was a popular dog name, “Fakeu mbanu” or so we thought. We later came to know that the true pronounciation is “Fakeh mbanu.” “Fakeh mbanu” in full reads, “U fa keh mbo mban u, i kù nta’ bò tu’u.” Whatever you give to your enemy, all he wants is your head (life).
On their part, the innocent, who trust in the Lord give the name, “Mbogeh” -“mbo ma ngehni!” My hands are open (I am innocent).
When the commander rescued Paul from the fuming crowd and brought him back to the barracks, more than forty “Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul.” Their plan was to use the Sanhedrin as a ploy to achieve their goal.
But as we noted yesterday, the Lord had already assured Paul that he will testify for the Lord in Rome. Paul’s sister’s son overheard the conspiracy and through him Paul became privy to it and it was passed on to the commander. That’s how Paul escaped the assassination from the hands of his own people! All for what! Exaggerated unnecessary zeal in defense of one’s faith convictions.
God is powerful enough to fight his battles and hold back those he does not want. We don’t have to kill or consider others to be inconsequential, just because they follow God according what they know God requires.
The Christian crusades that killed hundreds of thousands, the Huguenots persecutions that took hundrends of thousands of protestants and the muslim Jihads would not have been necessary if human beings allowed God to fight his battles.
Shame on those forty Jews; their oath not to eat or drink until they kill Paul did not work. Surely, in shame they finally ate and drank while Paul was still alive.
My friend, enemies labour in vain.“When the Lord is leading the way, Satan the devil will run away…!” If God is for us, nobody can be against us and have their way. “Nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord”(Rom.8:31-39).
And because God’s love is manifested in us through his Son, he keeps us out of harm’s way until we have accomplished our tasks. When our work is done, we too can joyfully say like our Lord,“It is finished!”
Keep trusting the one who says, “Take Courage!”
Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ keep each of us safe from enemies until our assigned tasks are accomplished. Amen!
Have a blessed day! Peace be with you!
Rev. Babila Fochang.