“Female of this species is a lot deadlier than the male.”
No, no , I am not referring to Black widow the venomous female spider inhabiting the Western part of the US, whose deadly sting can send one to an early grave. Rather, I was reminded of this phrase after going through the recent media reports on a female suicide bomber (terror attacks involving women suicide bombers seems to be on the increase) in Iraq, killing about 54 people on the first day of Feb, 2010.
It is indeed quite tragic that enduring bomb blasts have become a way of life in Iraq since the US invasion of 2003. If media reports are to be believed, about 6.5 lakhs innocent civilians have perished since the US forces took over this historic country as a part of its “war against terror”. The purpose of this essay is not to justify or criticize the action of a country in its war against terror, but to focus a bit on human psychology and the challenges it brings to the spiritual realm.
Even as the terrorists are striking with impunity in a country noted for its ancient civilization, have we ever wondered why people are not deserting that country? With life being so insecure, wouldn’t it be pragmatic of Iraqi civilians to leave that strife-torn country and go and settle elsewhere, where there would be greater security to life and limb? But people would never, never easily come out of what the psychologists refer to as one’s “comfort zone”, despite eerie shadow of death hanging all around.
Why?
The reason is… going and settling in a new place would involve so much stress and strain, mostly mental. It involves getting used to new neighborhoods, seeking and plying a trade in an oh-so-unfamiliar market, finding new schools for children… the list can go on.
Many, many centuries ago (around 1800 BC to be more precise), one man did leave IRAQ. Yes, Iraq. Mesopotamia as it was called then. And he left at Divine instance (Acts 7:2-3). There were no bomb blasts forcing him to flee his home; rather he moved out of Iraq at a time when life was running as smoothly as a well-grooved assembly line. Welcome once again to Father Abraham…welcome once again to that great hero of faith, whose acts of complete trust in His provider, God (Genesis 22:14), has inspired and STILL continues to inspire countless across centuries.
The Almighty’s instruction to him was clear as daylight: “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation…” (Genesis 12:1-3). Exhibiting implicit, child-like trust, away went this faithful soul to a land the good Lord had reserved for him knowing NOTHING. Neither about the new land, or about what was in store for him there (Heb 11:8). Oh, I wish that the good Lord had shown a video-recording (read vision) of the blessings that lay in front of him! Time to remind ourselves about a catchy, insightful one-liner: “More than knowing what the future holds in store for us, it is important to know the PERSON, who holds the future”.
Yes, future to Abraham may have resembled the road on a dark frosty night, where nothing is clear even as he responded to the Divine call to leave his home. Fast forward to Genesis 23:5-6…and we see the fruits of his obedience…how the unchanging (Heb 13:8), faithful Lord provided for him in his new environs, so much so his neighbors marveling at his abundant blessings address him as an “honored prince”! Truth be told, in eternity more than his earthly blessings what Father Abraham would really treasure, would be his “growth in God-dependence” which his act of coming “out of comfort zone” brought about!
Friends, we tend to shower encomiums on this great patriarch in the context of his sacrificial act of being willing to lay even his beloved son on the altar (Genesis 22) in that exacting testing time of faith. Nothing wrong about it (we pour accolades)! But do we give enough credit to this Father of faith for his initial “leap of faith”? For his exemplary act of coming out of his comfort zone? Remember, that is where his relationship with the good Lord got cemented, and the way was paved for later being called righteous (for exhibiting implicit trust -Romans 4:3-on his faithful God).
Dear readers, even as you are reading this article, I do not know how the good Lord is challenging you. Aiming at your spiritual growth (oh, how He wishes, we are transformed into the image of His Son -2 Cor 3:18), the good Lord may be calling for a total drastic action of a career change or He may be calling you to make significant alterations in your cozy (?) Christian life. You may be chugging along giving only some part of your time, talent and treasures (everyone is accountable for these 3Ts’) for His Kingdom. Is it time you place a greater share of the 3TS’ in His hands? If you have heard His voice (it is subjective and varies from person to person), hard as it may be, never delay coming out of your comfort zone. Oh it is so comfortable out here …in His vineyard of willful obedience! Hallelujah!
Suresh Manoharan
http://www.jandsmministries.com