If you chose God

Yaz today I have been doing a lot of thinking, nje just out of the blue, maybe I am preparing for my “Blue Monday”, then as I was looking out of my window I saw these group of kids going to Church, which is a good thing because the kids will be grounded and have the basic principles on how to be a human being. I heard somewhere that the Bible stands for Basic Instructions Before Living Earth.

But then at the same time I realised that people drag the names of their respective churches through the mud in many ways, but the most common that I have is trying to balance a Christianity lifestyle with Earthly lifestyle, that right there is negative points for a church and the religion its self because it makes the none believers go “I saw so and so at the club last night, look at them, they are the same as us, even though they are walking around as if they are better than us”. Unfortunately one rotten potato spoils the whole bag.

So how does the church deal with these individuals??? These bad representatives… Some would suggest cutting them off as it is written in the bible:

Matthew 7:19 (GNT)

“19. And any tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown in the fire”

Some would suggest forgiving them and giving them another chance as it is also written in the Bible:

Colossians 3:13 (GNT)

“Be tolerant with one another and forgive one another whenever any of you has a complaint against someone else. You must forgive one another just as the Lord has forgiven you.”

Which is a Methodist will sing Hymn 185 (in Xhosa hymn book)

“Bawo! Ndingumntwana waKho, Noko ndonileyo;Ndiya lila phambi kwaKho,Bawo! Ndixolele. 

Iziphoso zam zininzi,Azinakubalwa;Noko ndibekise kuWe,Bawo! Ndixolele.

Imithetho ndiyaphule,Wena ndakudela;UmSindisi ndimlahlile,Bawo! Ndixolele.

Ndone ngako ukuthetha,Ndone nangeengcinga,Ndone nangemisebenzi,Bawo! Ndixolele.

Noko ndibe ndifaneleUkukubulela;Ndone ngokukulibala,Bawo! Ndixolele.

Ngaz’ izoono ezininzi,Bawo, ndizonele;Wena ndikuhlazisile,Bawo! Ndixolele.

UnguThixo onencebaEngazang’ iphele;Ngako ndiya lila, ndithi,Bawo! Ndixolele. Amen.”

Well, let us explore what I think. Well everyone knows I believe everyone should be educated. O, since I am the one who brought up this subject let me school these kids:

I realised that one of the greatest gifts you can give to yourself as a Christian or a child of Christ as some like to be called, a gift greater than any diamond, gold or gem, the gift is: Allowing, The Holy Trinity:

       Head

              Heart

        Shoulders

The Father

       The Son &

The Holy Spirit

        Jehovah

              Jesus

        Holy Spirit

(In no particular order)

To rule your life with an IRON FIST... I repeat, if you decide to be a Christian “Allow, The Holy Trinity, the body of the church to govern your life with an iron fist”, I hope it’s clear, so I don’t want any Christians being Double-Agents.

Our youth fails in their Christian commitments because it takes this step lightly, they give God shares to their spirits, bodies & lives, while the Lord wants the premium package, the whole thing, one man show, well in this case, "one God show"... It is even said in the Bible:

Luke 9:23-24 (GNT)

"And he said to them all, If you want to come with me, you must forget yourself, take up your cross every day, and follow me. For if you want to save your own life, you will lose it, but if you lose your life for my sake, you will save it."

The good version of "losing your life" is a very important step, a step one cannot be guided through nor forced... Which is why the Xhosa man said “Ihashe ungalisa emlanjeni kodwa soze uliselise amanzi”. Only one knows thy self and one can make that decision. This step requires you to be truthful with yourself, it wants you to do it for YOURSELF, not just because you see your frinds...

This step is the right direction to a good life... I won't lie to you, it’s not easy, as Jesus said phaa ku Luke "take up your cross every day, and follow me", he didn't say "leave your cross there, let's go pick some flowers, skip around daisies, singing happy tunes and farting rainbows"... This road is tough... as Zahara recently said in one of her songs “inameva iyahlaba”.

This road is tough, but it’s a step followed by many other steps you will have to take all in the name of the RIGHT Direction. The direction leads to a Good life, all one has to do is endure as it is said:

Isaiah 3:10 (GNT)

"The righteous will be happy, and things will go well for them. They will get to enjoy what they have worked for."

And Isaiah repeats it when he says "Worked for", you won't sit around waiting to reap the rewards, one will "work"... But what is it that we are working for??? It is GOODNESS in its most plentiful(est) form, here are a few examples:

Galatians 5:22 (GNT)

"But the Spirit produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,"

So what am tryna say is that (inner) step is very important to one, important in the sense one must understand the depth of the commitment one has made... And most importantly, live up to it... then went wont see lamanyala siwabonayo…

Oh it’s beautiful to watch the youth who have taken this step, it fills my heart with Joy, it feels God's heart with JOY...

If you ever decide to take this step, everyday when you wake up, I want you to sing this piece from hymn 116 from the Methodist Church’s Xhosa hymn book (Translation on request)

“Yala Nkosi singadeli iimfundiso zezwi lakho, uze usivuselele sive inyaniso yakho”

May you have a blessed Sunday…