12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed – not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence – continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 FOR IT IS GOD WHO WORKS IN YOU TO WILL AND TO ACT IN ORDER TO FULFIL HIS GOOD PURPOSE. Philippians 2
“Ups and downs. Highs and lows. THESE WERE SEASONS OF REAL PROGRESS as well as moments when God painfully made clear to me again why POPULARITY DOESN’T SATISFY, why OTHERS LOVE DOESN’T SATISFY, why MONEY AND THE THINGS IT CAN BUY DOESN’T SATISFY, why FANTASISING DOESN’T SATISFY. Why NOTHING ELSE SATISFIES EXCEPT JESUS and whatever I allow Him to transform in my life to REFLECT HIS LOVING TOUCH ON MY SOUL. (I particularly like these last words!)
AND LITTLE BY LITTLE, HE WAS MAKING A NEW RIFQA OUT OF ME.” Quoted from, ‘Hiding in the Light’, Page 67, by Rifqa Bary. A hidden convert from Islam, aged 12 years.
“I was sitting in my bedroom, finishing my homework for the day. … I can still remember every detail of the precise moment when this strange BUT STRONG INTERNAL NUDGE – BARELY A WHISPER IN MY MIND – SOMEHOW WARNED ME TO TAKE MY BIBLE OUT OF MY BACKPACK AND HIDE IT.
I had been growing more and more familiar WITH THIS GENTLE WHISPER, and I was trying to be better about heeding its timely wisdom. So I ACTED ON IT QUICKLY AND WITHOUT QUESTIONING. I SHOVED MY BIBLE UNDERNEATH A PILE OF CLOTHES IN MY CLOSET.
Later on that evening, … My father, unannounced and saying nothing, picked up my backpack and started rummaging through it, feeling all the corners, digging and tugging. Obviously on a mission.”
Rifqa later raced to her bedroom, ‘with a heart- racing sigh of relief’.
The Lord protected the young convert from great danger, because she’d learnt to obey the Voice of the Spirit. She couldn’t afford to be careless in her new found faith, prompt obedience saved her.
“GOD ANSWERS PRAYER AT THE SPEED OF OBEDIENCE.” Graham Cooke, quoted in blog of Thursday, 13 March.
May the Lord bless and keep you today. Immanuel, God is with us.