Blessed and Highly Favoured
November 6, 2002
I was a witness to a particular greeting,
between two friends who by chance meeting.
One asked the other, “How are you feeling today?”
The other said, “Blessed and highly favoured of The Lord.”
Now that response struck me a sensitive chord.
And brought some serious reflections into play.
Those of us reborn of The Holy Spirit,
cherish the gift and lovingly revere it.
We know that in Heaven we have a special place.
But sometimes our paths to Heaven are slanted.
And we tend to take our salvation for granted.
We forget that we are only sinners saved by grace.
After all, if your salt has lost it’s savour,
are you sure you’re blessed and highly favoured?
Now it’s not for me to judge if you’re genuine.
It’s solely up to you to let your light so shine.
Jesus said, “You will know the tree by the fruit that it bares.”
How can you love God who has not seen?
Yet hate me forward, backward and in between?
That’s not the way Christians should show their wares.
Example: on Sunday you praise, sing and shout.
On Monday you can’t wait to curse ‘so and so’ out.
In fact, how often do you witness to someone at work?
Jesus taught us all that we must learn to forgive.
Still you really just can’t wait until he gets his.
Even if it happens, your apology can’t cover your smirk.
Consider: If your salt has lost it’s savour,
are you sure you’re blessed and highly favoured?
A love scene on television is so explicit!
But your child’s beside you watching the exhibit.
You reason; “This child might know more than I do.”
Do you pray before you lie down to sleep?
Do you even say grace before you eat?
Can you honestly say you love those who hate you?
Instead of sending praises to God in Heaven,
you’re concerned about what’s on channel seven.
And you’ll miss it too because revival starts at three.
In bible class the members who came were two.
So next week you will effect as the Romans do.
Besides, you know that’s not where you want to be.
Remember: if your salt has lost it’s savour,
are you sure you’re blessed and highly favoured?
You adore your brother and sister with Christian passion.
As long as they don’t out dress you in worldly fashion.
You must under...man, where did you get those shoes?
Anyway, we focus too much on the mundane to please us.
Instead of setting our minds to be more like Christ Jesus.
Realistically people: Heaven or Hell, you choose.
You hear the word preached every Sunday without fail.
And yet you can’t recall one sermon in full detail.
You’re covered with the blood, well at least your head.
The preacher’s all decked out because he needs to be seen.
His wife’s dress drags the ground because she’s a Nazarene.
Say one wrong word to them and you’ll good as dead.
The bank teller gave you too much money from the vault.
You thank God for the increase because it’s not your fault.
And you take it without so much as a second thought.
You criticized your friend about the wild party last week.
But yesterday you did the same thing across the street.
The only difference is that you didn’t get caught.
Listen: if your salt has lost it’s savoured,
are you certain you’re blessed and highly favoured?
O.K., all God’s commandments in your heart you keep.
Truth is the only time you don’t sin is when you’re asleep.
Even then, only God knows the thoughts you dream.
Living saintly has become your most sacred vow.
Indeed, you have been exalted to ‘holier than thou’.
Or maybe I am just taking all this to the extreme.
Sure, perhaps I am getting a bit carried away.
All I am implying is be careful of the things you say.
Pride mingled with salvation is such a languish facade!
Don’t allow your work to give you reason to brag.
For all your righteousness to The Lord are filthy rags.
What is pleasing to man may not be so with God.
Never let your right hand know what your left is doing.
For all the while Satan is plotting and imbuing,
subtle, terrible snares to confound you and make you slip.
It was never my intention to poke any fun.
But the power of life and death is in the tongue.
You can get into trouble for what falls off your lip.
If your salt has lost it’s savour,
are you sure you’re blessed and highly favoured.
Fin
KMc
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