One of our daily routines is to tune in to various channels on the television, radio and the internet. However, some of those stations to which we listen report negative, sad news all day long. Bottom line, they can be very depressing!
In this world of constant adversity, we need to be exposed to good news, things that will lift our spirits and keep us motivated to continue moving on to higher ground. There are times when I have turned on the television, and the entire news segment would be so disheartening that I would just tune out and listen to some of my favorite gospel songs for uplifting moments. Nevertheless, there is a station to which we can tune in everyday for more than enough good news to hear and share, Channel GWMW — God Will Make a Way!
How do you reach this station? Just pick up the Bible, go from there, and have a Hallelujah good time! It will guide you to salvation, give you wisdom and advice, instructions on how to live holy, tell you about a man called Jesus who came to save us from our sins, share good news, and much more.
One thing about this channel is that Jesus said in Luke 23:9 (ESV) “… ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” Once you tune in to Channel GWMW with your whole heart and mind, you will want to tune in every day. Glory be to God!
This walk with the Lord is a daily thing. You can’t put God on the shelf, and come back to pick him up only in times of trials. When He answers your prayers, He wants you to tell others about His goodness and His love. When God cleansed the 10 lepers, look at what happened afterward: “One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him — and he was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, ‘Were not all 10 cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?’ Then he said to him, ‘Rise and go; your faith has made you well,’” (Luke 17:15-19 NIV).
As Christians, we must celebrate the Lord, and be His witnesses to a lost world so that others can “…taste and see that the Lord is good…” (Psalm 34:8 ESV). We must be that daily light that shines so others can see who Jesus is.
In this anonymously written, profound illustration, “Have You Tasted Jesus?” ponder the analogy that an old preacher uses to show the goodness of the Lord. Focus on the effect of the audience as a whole and the “intended audience.” God makes a way in this story through one voice for His Word to be heard. Please enjoy and share.
“At the University of Chicago Divinity School, each year, they have what is called ‘Baptist Day.’ On this day, each one is to bring a lunch to be eaten outdoors in a grassy picnic area. Every ‘Baptist Day’ the school would invite one of the greatest minds to lecture in the theological education center. One year they invited Dr. Paul Tillich. Dr. Tillich spoke for two- and a-half hours, attempting to prove that the resurrection of Jesus was false. He quoted scholar after scholar and book after book. He concluded that since there was no such thing as the historical resurrection, the religious tradition of the church was groundless, emotional mumbo-jumbo ... because it was based on a relationship with a risen Jesus, who, in fact never rose from the dead in any literal sense. He then asked if there were any questions.
“After about 30 seconds, an old, dark-skinned preacher with a head of short-cropped, woolly white hair stood up in the back of the auditorium. ‘Docta Tillich, I got one question,’ he said, as all eyes turned toward him.
‘He reached into his sack lunch, pulled out an apple and began eating it. ‘Docta Tillich...’ CRUNCH, MUNCH... ‘My question is a simple question...’ CRUNCH, MUNCH... ‘Now, I ain’t never read them books you read...’ CRUNCH, MUNCH... ‘and I can’t recite the Scriptures in the original Greek...’ CRUNCH, MUNCH... ‘I don’t know nothin’ bout Niebuhr and Heidegger...’ CRUNCH, MUNCH...
“He finished the apple…‘All I wanna know is: This apple I just ate ... was it bitter or sweet?’
“Dr. Tillich paused for a moment and answered in exemplary scholarly fashion …‘I cannot possibly answer that question, for I haven’t tasted your apple.’
“The white-haired preacher dropped the core of his apple into his crumpled paper bag, looked up at Dr. Tillich and said calmly, ‘Neither have you tasted my Jesus.’
“The 1,000-plus in attendance could not contain themselves. The auditorium erupted with applause and cheers. Dr. Tillich thanked his audience and promptly left the platform.
“Have you tasted Jesus? ‘Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him. If you have, rejoice in the hope of the resurrection that your faith in Him brings’ — Psalm 34:8.”
Are you going to tune in/continue to tune in to Channel GWMW daily?
Have a wonderfully blessed week, and never leave home without Him!
(Anna Bright is a minister and educator in Walterboro. She can be reached at abrightcolumn@lowcountry.com)
