A WORD IN SEASON TO THE WEARY
🌷🌷September 26🌷🌷
“Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but… of the household of God” (Eph. 2:19)
One of the fundamental foundational principles of salvation is laying on of hands (Heb. 6:2). In the Bible laying on of hands was used for different purposes such as showing relationship, oneness, equality and identification. The first mention of the laying on of hands is found in Genesis 48:14. “And Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid it upon Ephraim’s head, who was the younger, and his left hand upon Manasseh’s head, guiding his hands wittingly; for Manasseh was the firstborn,” Jacob laid his hands upon his grandsons and blessed them. Joseph had become a very great and wealthy man in Egypt; he was next to Pharaoh, and yet he brought his sons before his poor father Jacob so that he might bless them. He did not bring them for a worldly blessing. Materially Joseph was much more wealthy than Jacob yet he brought his sons to his father Jacob because he knew that God had promised a sevenfold blessing to Abraham and his seed (Gen. 12:2-3).
There are many believers who are deceived by worldly people. They walk in the ways of the world. They are more interested in dinner parties and picnics than in the things of God. That is why they do not grow spiritually. As believers we cannot have any fellowship with worldly people. We should not have any share in their worldly activities. We can be kind and polite to them, but our fellowship should be only with God’s people even if they are poor or illiterate, because they are our people. So by laying on of hands after baptism, we declare together that we are identified with God’s people.
I remember an incident in my life. During my college days I had a very good friend. When I returned to India from Canada, I went to see him. By then he had become very wealthy. He requested me to spend a few days with him. He was very kind to me, and made me very comfortable, but I felt only like a stranger in his house. I could not pray with him or talk to him about God. I could not even find a proper place for my quiet time. So every morning, I used to go to a nearby field. One day after finishing my quiet time, I heard some singing from the other side of the field. I went in that direction and saw a very small hut made of mud and straw. I stood there and heard the family singing a Christian song. Seeing me standing there, a man came outside and asked me, “Sir, do you want to see someone?” I said, “No, I am a Christian, I heard a Christian song being sung and my heart is drawn towards you.” He said, “Come, inside please.” I went inside. It was a small hut. There was no furniture. I sat on the floor, but I was very happy. Though my friend was so very good to me, his house was furnished with costly furniture and everything was so wonderful, still I felt like a stranger. But I met this man for the first time. I did not even know his name. He was very, very poor, earning hardly Rs. 10/- a month, yet I was happy with him because we sang together and prayed together. I said to myself, “I have found my people”. We belong to God and His people. Those who are attracted by their worldly friends do not grow spiritually.
