Jeremiah 1:5. Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.
Aloha Friends, it’s Friday! TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday! Yes, I know some of you are just dying to finish work today, get home and just throw yourselves down in front of the tube or some such mindless form of relaxation. But please remember that the weekend is not just about that. So to remind us, let’s chant our Friday Chant: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through. Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.’ Yes mih people, the weekend is for regrouping, but with fellowship a very important aspect, so that next week we can go back out strong and fight successfully again. Now this should be the last day for our current Bit, unless the Spirit throws a spanner in the works, (smile) but Friends, please, let’s keep it uppermost in our minds, hearts and souls, because the words our God spoke to Jeremiah so long ago, are the same ones He’s saying to each of us today. ‘Before I formed thee in the belly (womb) I knew thee; and before thou camest out of the womb I sanctified thee (set thee apart), and I ordained (appointed) thee a prophet unto the nations.’ Yes my brethren, the Lord made all of us with a particular task in mind, so that when carried out would lead to His glorification and the expansion of His kingdom. And over the last few days we’ve been through all the whys and wherefores of us not promptly answering God’s call, concluding that we’re still fearful, and don’t trust Him as we ought to. We’ve also been looking at people of faith, who either resisted or simply said, yes Lord, and did His bidding without hesitation. Today we’ll look at three more people. The first is Mary, Jesus’ mother. Friends, if you think we have it rough when God comes a calling, just check out Mary’s story. What would your reaction be, if in those unenlightened times, you’re a young, uneducated, working class girl, engaged to be married, and an angel suddenly shows up and says: ‘Hail (rejoice), thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind (considered) what manner of salutation (greeting) this should be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary; for thou hast found favour with God. And behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David. And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.’ (Luke 1:28-33) Ah mih people, I’m sure most of us would take a fit, considering that we’re only engaged to be married, and to end up pregnant out of wedlock in those olden times was real rough. Uppermost in our minds would be the haunting, troubling question: What will Joseph, my fiancé, and the world think? Obviously we’d be looked upon with plenty scorn and shame. But Friends, despite all the negative possibilities in her future, Mary simply said to the angel Gabriel: ‘How shall this be, seeing I know not a man (am still a virgin)? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing (one) which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And behold thy cousin (relative) Elisabeth, she hath also conceived in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. For with God nothing shall be impossible. And Mary said, Behold the handmaid (maid servant) of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.’ (Luke 1:34-38) Bravo Mary! Yuh see Friends, that’s how it should be done! You ask a couple of questions, if necessary, to clarify the matter, and once you get that clarification, away you go! And yuh know mih people, I think we do Mary a serious injustice by not giving her enough credit for her solid and steadfast faith. Just think of all the pain, heartache and trouble she went through from the day Gabriel informed her of the immaculate conception, till the day she saw her precious son hanging limply from an old rugged cross on Calvary Hill. Hn! People of much lesser faith and accomplishment are more esteemed than her. Is it because she was a woman, and women in those days, and to a lesser extent now, were looked upon as second-class citizens? It’s only the Catholic Church that really venerates Mary in a manner that she deserves. But then, the same Catholic Church bans, even refuses to consider making women priests. What a paradox eh! But my male brethren, it’s high time we give Mary, and women all around the world much more credit, respect and acclamation for all the hard, menial and unrewarding jobs they do and the ‘sufferation’ they still endure, many without complaining, in this still predominantly man’s world. Oh my male Friends, please let’s not forget, but proudly remember, those most august, most venerable, very true and meaningful words of Papa James (James Brown) in his long ago song, ‘A Man’s World,’ my favourite: ‘This is a man’s world! But it would be nothing…nothing, without a woman or a girl!’ Real gospel truth Friends! But like we got to close on that note yes, a most fitting one though. For it seems the Spirit intervened and added to my original plan. Like I’ve got to stop making those proud prognostications. (smile) Although looking at it now, from the very start, I was possibly wanting to say too much in too little time and space. That means we’ll continue this Bit tomorrow, God willing obviously. Till then my people, please walk safely with the Lord. Much LOVE!…with our God…all things are possible…only believe…only believe…
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