For the
second year am leading an Advent Bible study group at my house, yesterday was
our first meeting. As we were going over
the first reading for this upcoming Sunday, I realized that the first verse from
the Book of Isaiah dealt with God asking us to comfort one another, “Comfort,
comfort my people says the Lord.” It
just amazes me when I study God’s word how detailed He is in His instruction for
all of us to lead peaceful, simple, happy lives. He knew that in our walk towards eternal life
we would need cheerleaders and others to help us during our moments of heartache
and trouble. We would specially need
people of faith to remind and redirect our path towards God. I am blessed with a lot of friends, some of
the ones that I have the longest history with are not Christian; yet, they have
been with me through some of the most trying periods in my life and for that I
am eternally grateful and indebted.
Leaving them behind after my conversion was never an option for me, and
though they might not understand life according to the ways of God- they
support and encourage me no matter how foreign my beliefs or how my faith is
transforming me. They have been there
for me in ways no believer has and I have hope that one day God will reign in
their hearts and in their lives. And it
would be such a blessing from God if He allowed me to witness their conversion
(SMILE). Thus, if people who don’t know
God can be such a comfort – how much more do we that know God must be.
Last night
as I lead the Bible study group and went over the readings with my group of six
admirable Christian friends I gave thanks for God’s providence. I have heard believers state that as they
grew in God their social group diminished and I am not sure if I am doing
something wrong- but since I follow God my circle of friends has
multiplied. God has taught me to love
more perfectly and in doing so my family on earth continues to grow. As I sat, in my living room listening to God’s
word and the sharing of my sisters in Christ inside this light in me just grew brighter. I understood so much and I rejoiced in the
moment. Reflecting on the foreshadowing
of Christ’s birth, John the Baptist announcing the coming of the Messiah and
the warning to get things right before Christ’s return again- gave me such hope
in God’s plan. God comforted me. From the beginning God has had a plan for us,
and not just us as a whole, but for each of us personally.
I thought
of a picture I posted on Facebook in which a little girl holds onto a bear and
tells Jesus that she loves it and wants to hold on to it. Jesus extends one hand
asking her to trust Him and holds a bigger bear that He wants to give her behind His back. That image came to mind as I reflected on the
reading from Second Peter, in which God exhorts us to be patient like He is with
us. I have been a bit disappointed with
a man I like because he didn’t wish me a happy birthday; yet, as I reflected
on this reading I realized that I should praise God that through the lack of this
person’s gesture God has revealed that I am holding on to someone that is not
for me. That God has my mate on His way
towards me and though the truth hurts, I need to trust Him and be patient. In the meantime He has sent many people to
comfort me and to point me on the way of His truth. As a cherry on top, as the night came to an
end a friend crashed my small group, cake and balloons in hand to wish me a
happy belated birthday and I thought to myself- how can I be sad when God
showers me with SO MANY BLESSINGS!
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