Seek And You Shall Find

I was going through scriptures the other night, reading about Jesus' life as recorded in the book of Luke. The lady with the alabaster box was one of the stories in the chapter I was reading and something struck me that Ill like to share with you. In verse 37- 38 of Luke Chapter 7, the bible says the woman with the alabaster box she stood behind Jesus weeping: 

A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisees house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them. (Luke 7: 37-38)

Then, I began to have a mental picture of the whole scenario. How was Jesus sitting that she went 'behind Him' to wash His feet? I don't know why, but I was reading between the lines and wanted to know what seemed really trivial, compared to the 'rhema' in this passage. I guess I sought a holistic understanding, as has been my desire of recent. 

It also occurred to me that after Jesus healed some persons, He didn't instruct them to keep the miracle from people, but there were some things that happened (like the raising of Jarius' daughter from the dead) where He instructed Jarius and his wife not to tell anyone what had happened (Luke 8:56). These were mysteries I pondered over. 

Amazingly, I never knew the answers (at least to one of them) would come anytime soon. 

Fast forward to Sunday, oh, how I have missed Sunday services. The Holy Spirit knows just what we need, and He specially designed the service for me for more reasons than one. 

The topic for the Palm Sunday service was aptly tagged "The Dangers of Familiarity". Pastor Chris Ugoh under the unction of the Spirit was teaching about what familiarity and over familiarity could lead to.

He makes reference to the following texts: Matt. 13:53; Isaiah 23:18-19; Luke 7:36 - 48; Psalm 111:10; John 4:24; 2 Samuel 6:17-23. Did you notice Luke 7 there? Well, little did I know that there was a connection between the topic and the answer I sought:

When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, If this man were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman is touching him. She's a sinner!

Then Jesus answered his thoughts. Simon, he said to the Pharisee, I have something to say to you. 

Go ahead, Teacher, Simon replied. 

Then Jesus told him this story: A man loaned money to two people500 pieces of silver to one and 50 pieces to the other. But neither of them could repay him, so he kindly forgave them both, canceling their debts. Who do you suppose loved him more after that? 

Simon answered, I suppose the one for whom he canceled the larger debt. 

That's right, Jesus said. Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, Look at this woman kneeling here. When I entered your home, you didn't offer me water to wash the dust from my feet, but she has washed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You didn't greet me with a kiss, but from the time I first came in, she has not stopped kissing my feet. You neglected the courtesy of olive oil to anoint my head, but she has anointed my feet with rare perfume. 

I tell you, her sins and they are many have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love. 

Then Jesus said to the woman, Your sins are forgiven. (Luke 7: 39-48)

The thing is, when the woman with the alabaster box came in, Simon, probably due to ‘overfamiliarity’ with Jesus, started having funny thoughts. Note that Jesus responded to 'his thoughts'. So, He knows what you and I are thinking of but because of overfamiliarity too, we just don't care anymore and habour unwholesome thoughts. 

Back to my earlier ponderings, Pastor Chris did some explaining about the feet washing culture of Jesus time and region. They wore sandals and still do in those parts. The region is pretty sandy and dusty. From what pastor said, this required that those who sat down to eat had to put their feet behind. Voilà! There's my answer! Probably, Jesus was sitting in a way that had His feet positioned in a way she could have access to from behind Him. 

I rest my case on this matter as I have found my answer. Next up is the second matter of Jarius' daughter. I didn't get my answer in this service, but what do you think? Why were there specific instructions ?

Then her spirit returned, and she arose immediately. And He commanded that she be given something to eat. 56 And her parents were astonished, but He charged them to tell no one what had happened. (Luke 8:55-56)

 Meanwhile, below are other lessons I got from the service. 

*Jesus is God answering humanity's questions. 

*Be alert and be present with God, otherwise you would miss what He's doing. 

*Many have become so familiar that the honour and respect they used to have for God isn't there. They are not sensitive anymore, they are indifferent. 

*What you disrespect and dishonour, you repel. 

*Familiarity can't birth visions. 

*When you're committed you care, but when you become too familiar, you become careless.

How to Avoid Familiarity

1. Change the way you think.

2. Stay sensitive to others.

3. Refuse to take things for granted. Don't be indifferent. 

4. Maintain the right association. 

5. Live your life with gratitude. Be grateful and thankful to your parents, friends, partner, boss, clients, customers (send them Easter cards/messages). 

6. Stay prayerful Col. 4:2. Prayerlessness dulls your senses. 

7. Walk in love

8. Appreciate your pastoral leaders

9. Honour and respect all men. Honour grants you access. It opens the door. Rom. 12:10

10. Love God with all your heart. Prioritize your life. You draw near to Him, He'll draw near to you. 

11. Develop and maintain the right attitude towards God. 

Having shared these, I have a testimony to share an instance of how God works in mysterious ways, even in events we may overlook and trivialize. Thank goodness, I was sensitive.

So, it's a beautiful but wet Sunday morning. I had already predetermined that I'd have a pretty hard time trying to navigate my way out of the street on my way to church due to the terrible state of the untarred road. I get ready and hit the road after carefully selecting my shoes to suit the weather and occasion. I get through up to the point where there's a major puddle and as I am trying to picture how I'd get past it, I notice a car right behind me. I wait for the car to go through the puddle first when I hear, 

"You dey go?"

"Junction?" I ask. 

"Enter", he responds. 

I enter the taxi, greeting the driver with a huge smile on my face and thanking God in my heart for His timely intervention.