April 18, 2020
Saturday for di Octave of Easter
Readings for Today
Listen for English
But later, as di Eleven dey for table, He appear to dem and rebuke dem because dem no believe and dia hearts hard, because dem no believe di people wey see Him after He don rise from death. Mark 16:14
Why di Apostles no believe say Jesus don rise from death? Dem don use dia own eyes see plenty wonderful miracles wey Jesus do. Dem live with Him every day for three years. Dem hear Him preach and teach with perfect authority and grace. And now, after He don rise from death, dia hearts hard and dem no believe at once. Jesus need to appear to dem and give dem this proof wey dem fit see with dia own eyes.
This struggle wey di Apostles pass through na something wey dey happen plenty. Na di struggle with heart wey hard. Dem want believe, but dem no fit freely accept di Resurrection with true faith until dem get some proof. Dem no really know say all di proof wey dem need don already dey inside dem.
Plenty times, Jesus dey invite us to get faith, believe in Him, and accept many things by faith. Di gift of faith be like small flame inside our hearts wey we carelessly leave open to wind. This carelessness dey allow di flame of faith to quench before e fit grow.
Di aim of our Christian journey na to allow that flame of faith become di strong fire wey God want. And e possible! E really possible to allow that flame become fire wey dey burn everything, so that nothing fit quench am. You ready to do wetin you need to do so that this flame go shine well? And how we go do this?
Di way to get this strong fire of faith inside us get to do with how we handle di spark wey don already dey there. We need to care for and nurture that small flame. We need to handle di beginning of our faith with plenty care. We must protect am and give am wetin e need so that e go grow. One way to do this na to avoid carelessness for our prayer life.
Prayer na di key to allow God grow inside us. He dey there, dey speak to us and dey call us to believe. Any time we doubt or make our heart hard, we leave that small flame open to wind and rain. But any time we give that flame our full attention, we allow am grow and take root. To pray, listen, seek, love and believe na di ways to di faith wey God want give us. And if di Apostles for just allow that gift of faith wey God plant deep inside dem to grow as dia hearts dey become soft, dem for quickly and easily believe say Jesus dey alive, without needing to see Him with dia own eyes.
Today, think deeply about this truth: even though we no dey see di Risen Christ with our physical eyes, we still get di same ability as di Apostles to know and love Him. Wetin you dey do every day to allow this love and knowledge of Christ grow? Wetin you dey do for your own life of faith to allow this flame become strong fire wey dey burn everything? Today, commit yourself again to prayer, and watch as your faith in Christ dey grow and shine well!
Lord, I love You and I believe in You. Help me blow di flame of faith wey You plant for my heart until e become strong fire wey dey burn everything. Help me know and love You so that this knowledge and love go change me. Use this fire purify my soul and free me from any hardness of heart. Jesus, na You I trust.
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