nje histori e bukur

The sermon tonight at church was great. I always come away feeling that way from the small fellowship of Albanian believers that I am privileged to be amongst. So the text was -

“And Jesus said to his disciples (those he was teaching to have a sincere faith in him) For this reason I say to you, do not worry about your life, as to what you will eat, nor for your body, as to what you will put on” Luke 12:22

Much was said that I could not explain in such as natural manner as did the preacher – but in the middle of it all he said he had to tell “nje histori e bukur.” A beautiful story. And this is the story...

There was a father who loved his daughter so much, and there was a handsome confident lad who wanted to marry the daughter. So the father said – well, since you have such love and want to marry my daughter – will you go through a test for her hand in marriage. “Of course I will” he replied with determination. So the father led him to an empty room, and said “For as long as I decide will you stay in here with no food – only water? Will you do this to prove your love for my daughter?” “Yes sir! I shall do that” the confident young man declared. So the young man was locked in the empty room, and a whole week passed and the father went to the empty room and unlocked it. He opened the door and directly said – “What do you want – a bowl of soup or my daughter?” Here is the scene one minute beforehand. The young man had endured the week – he was aching – his stomach rumbling, he was very, very hungry – he was watching, waiting for the door to open, and then the door opened and he heard the words “What do you want – a bowl of soup... daughter?” “Soup! Soup!” he cried! And the father brought him soup, but did not let him marry his daughter. :)

It is a beautiful story!

Will we be ones who trust the Lord with our needs – or will our needs be so desperate that we would forsake our true love to fulfil them? God knows our needs. Will we trust him to fulfill his promises to meet them?

“The steps of a man are established by the Lord and He delights in his way. When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong, because the Lord is the One who holds his hand. I have been young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread.” Psalm 37:23-25

There is no doubt that this requires faith to believe, and faith is what God requires. Another psalm says God searches the earth looking for those to be strong for. Will we let God be strong for us? He knows if we are locked up in an empty room - hungry and in need. It challenged me....