Choluteca was the first area I served in that was big enough to need a bike. Getting a bike really opened things up for us and allowed us to reach a much larger audience than would have otherwise been possible. A person can cover three to four times as much ground on a bicycle than they can on foot so we were able to both schedule more appointments because we would spend less time in between getting to them and to expand the range of our visits to places too far away to be considered without a bike. We loved our bicycles because they made our work easier and more productive. And, let's face it, they're fun to ride and filled with the memories and nostalgia of youth.
Well, one day we were asked to pray for and give a blessing to someone we were teaching who was ill. We saw this as a great honor and opportunity because of the faith this individual demonstrated in the Lord by calling on us to give them a blessing.
Administrations, or blessings, are ordinances performed by those who hold the priesthood. This ordinance was practiced by both the Lord and his apostles in the primitive church of Christ (Matthew 10:1, 6-8; James 5.14-16) and has been a part of Christ's church in our day ever since the authority to perform these ordinances was restored in May of 1829. It was at that time that members of our church believe that the power to administer to the sick through the priesthood was restored to the earth and it was this ordinance, which is available to all who have faith to request it, that we were asked to perform that day as we visited our friend who was sick.
We arrived just as dusk was setting in and by the time we'd finished administering the blessing to our friend, and teaching him to continue to believe and deepen his faith in the Lord, night had set in and it was really dark. And in this section of town it was especially dark because the people who lived here were too poor to be able to afford a power bill so utilities hadn't even been run to this section of town. The people living here didn't have running water either.
They were the very poorest members of this community. Over half of the population lived under these conditions of extreme poverty but even so, they were some of the happiest people I have ever met. They were always so grateful for everything they received and looked to God and returned thanks to Him in all things.
Well just as we turned toward the door our bikes were snatched almost right out from under our noses. And because it was so dark the thieves didn't realize how close we were when they took our bikes.
My companion called out after them, and the guy who had taken his bike was in the rear and closest to us and was scared enough by the proximity and tone of his voice that he dropped the bike and slipped away into the inky darkness of the night. The guy with my bike had the lead, however, and wasn't so easily deterred and as I took off after him on foot, all I had to guide me was the small light on the back of the bike that was powered by a generator which spun off of the wheel. At first I gained a little ground on the thief, but as the thief picked up speed and the light began to receed into the darkness I began to lose all hope of ever seeing my bike again.
But just as he was pulling away from me a thought struck me that as I ran, I should drive my feet heavily into the road and as I did so, I was astonished by how much noise this made. The thief ,when he heard this, must have thought I was much closer than I actually was and thinking he was about to get caught, he threw the bike down and made his escape. I was very relieved when he did this for a couple of reasons.
First of all, I hadn't thought far enough ahead to know exactly what would happen if I caught him. Running after him was simply a reflex reaction, taken in the heat of the moment without thinking ahead to any possible consequences or final outcomes. All I wanted was my bike back but he didn't know that and might have pulled knife on me, the weapon of choice among thieves in that area. Or I might have found myself embroiled in a fist fight. Neither of these things would have had a happy ending and so I was genuinely grateful that he decided that my bike wasn't worth a fight.
Second, I really needed my bike and could not afford to replace it. Recovering my bike was a huge blessing and one which I attribute to inspiration. And so, the following day my companion and I were both still riding bicycles. It's amazing to me that the Lord always knows exactly what to do and is so incredibly aware of each of us individually and of our needs.
At times I think many of us attribute such things to chance, dumb luck, or our own personal brilliance and ingenuity when the real credit belongs to the Lord who holds all things in His care. I fear that the time will come when we will all feel embarrassed when we realize how much the Lord lovingly intervened in our lives to protect us and lead us to experiences and people and things which would bless us and our lives and that we took far too much credit for our good fortune and gave the Lord far too little thanks.
I believe gratitude opens the eyes of those who possess it in a way that reveals God and His good works and that it strengthens and increases faith and brings joy into the lives of those who humble themselves in this way. When we do as God has asked in remembering Him in all things (3Nephi 18:7), it exercises our faith in a manner that allows the Lord to work Himself into our hearts and reveal Himself to us in ways He couldn't otherwise do because by so doing, we invite Him into our lives. When we sincerely reach out to the Lord in this way, he will send us His spirit and open our eyes to Him and His ways (Revelation 3:20).
No comments:
Post a Comment