GIVE JESUS: EXPERIENCE HARVEST.

He said it, and that's the first things he said when he climbed the pulpit. Yet, it is provocative and loaded with contradiction - very analytic. He dangled in-between human thinking and God's mystery.

“I want to believe we all understand how vast our God is — that he's omnipotent, omniscience, all in all, and self-sufficient. But, despite him being the greatest and the owner of everything... It's absurd to see & hear God is demanding things from a human. Isn't it?”

He continued.

“Must we give unto God before he could release to us what we are praying for...? Like trade by barter.

When the multitudes asked him(Jesus) to speak unto them the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret, near the tired and seriously sad fishermen who had walked all through the night and catch nothing.

Jesus as the only son of self-sufficient God walked up to these aggrieved fishermen, and asked them to borrow their ship, they did. He pressed further by prayed them to thrust a little from the land to the sea. “What a frustrating Man!!” Peter might have mumbled. Yet, he did.

Peter that moment might have murmured to himself” what is my own with your ministry, or my ship looks like a pulpit or synagogue.” He might even have said in his mind be quick Mr Man, I am tired already or else you thrust it back to land by yourself.” Like me and you.

This is a good story that explains how God stoop himself so low, neglecting the fact that he has everything, just to teach of us how to let go of what belongs to us in a tough time. Then gives unto us multiple folds of it.

After Peter had let go of his belongings, This man — Jesus asked him to throw his net into the deep. Humanly, or maybe professionally Jesus saying that went overboard — because fish can only come out to the top of the water in the night and not in the day.

The man explained to Jesus the novice, perhaps he even went deeper by telling him the number of years he has been doing the work. Jesus insisted and Peter accepted, perhaps because he was tired or because he's not fond of argument, unlike me.

In essence, he gave up his trust too. And surprisingly, abundantly, greatly he was rewarded with a great catch.

Earnestly, the reason why some people remain stagnant every aspect of their life is that they lack giving heart. They don't give, when they are hurt or down, then everything is down. Even in the church, some prefer buying unnecessary things than helping others.

Funny enough, the act of giving material things is one of the universal law. “Give and it shall be given unto you” certainly it shall, it doesn't have anything to do with your religion or where you come from. It's universal!

Unlike in the spirit, unlike when you offer your life to Christ, just like Peter after the great catch... Afterwards, you will become the custodian of what others that give only material things do not have.”

_Rev Steve Ajayi.

Oja-Oba Baptist Church Teenagers
Ogbomosho.
Media Team.