The Good Samaritan - A Tangible Experience!

I love scripture.  
I truly do.

One evening in 2005 I opened the Holy Bible and God, then and there, convicted me of my sin and made me aware of my desperate need for Him; for this I can never be grateful enough. I know I could never offer enough of myself in response to His awesome goodness; not that I need to, I just want to. I fell in love with scripture then and there, even if it at times is personally challenging, for I know the entire 66 books are an epic love story between our good creator and us, mankind.

It breaks my heart so many today are listening to the enemy’s lies; disregarding sound exegesis in an attempt to please the masses and/or to make themselves more comfortable. For one is much more comfortable when they do not strive for holiness and in turn have no-one against them. Yes, one is comfortable when the world is their friend. Yet we know to be friends with the world is to be God’s enemy…how do we know this (if we even do)? By knowing scripture because we value it.

Furthermore it breaks my heart when I see Christian people not knowing scripture for themselves. I know this because I see people not living it and from their lack of fruit. Many seem content to listen to culturally relevant sermons rather than personal bible study. Many listen to the latest opinion that scripture isn’t consistent or relevant because this is easier than prayer and digging deep for themselves. Excuses are made of being time poor or a person who doesn’t like routine…

Yet again we know we are to ‘test’ all that we are taught, for there are many false prophets and teachers. How do I know this? Because scripture states it – and not just once! So I ask you how do you weigh what you hear, yes even in church, when you don’t know scripture for yourself or you don’t adhere to scripture having supreme authority as the infallible Word of God?

I love scripture. I truly do, as it is still to this very day so, so, so relevant, for people don’t change.

Let me give you a very real example of the parable of The Good Samaritan. You can read it here.

Most of us know this as the story Jesus told when he was challenged with a question of ‘who is my neighbour’…It starts when a lawyer of all people asks one of those questions…you know a question a ‘learned’ person asks someone to try and outsmart them!

The lawyer asks Jesus, ‘What must I do to inherit eternal life?’ Jesus responds by asking the lawyer what the law says, to which he responds, ‘to love God and his neighbour’. But once again the lawyer is someone, like many today, who look for loopholes and he then asks Jesus, ‘who is my neighbour?’

Jesus then puts the lawyer right in the meat of the sandwich, so to speak, along with all the others there who think they’re living a ‘good life’…He tells them about an injured Israelite (one of their own) who was amazingly cared for by his enemy, a Samaritan, when all of the injured man’s fellow Israelites ignored him, leaving him to die – and finishes again with another question of, ‘who was the Israelite’s neighbour?’.

Most of us today when we hear this story (if any of us still do, for we’re no longer in Sunday school), cheer for Jesus putting the ‘learned’ ones in a place of considering their own hearts for their fellow mankind. Yet here in Australia I want to ask, are we prepared to put ourselves into the story, or is it easier for us to make exceptions to the rule Jesus gives of loving ALL people?

I recently had the honour of meeting a man named Rohullah who is a refugee here in Australia seeking asylum. He is an Afghanistan of the Muslim religion. He is currently riding 2,000 kilometres on his bicycle around Victoria and through New South Wales to a final destination in Canberra. The ride is to raise awareness and collect signatures to present a petition to our Australian Government. The petition is basically for the Australian government to recognise the human rights of refugees; to stop holding children in detention, and to stop refugees being sent overseas.

Rohullah and his support companion arrived in my church’s town, tired and weary, and we were able to offer food, support and accommodation…To live out the principle Jesus taught in the parable of The Good Samaritan – What an amazing blessing and opportunity to show God’s grace and love!

Rohullah spoke in our church service of his interaction with Australians who have refused to speak to him once they learnt he was from Afghanistan and Muslim. He spoke of instant fear due to Afghanistan being home to the Taliban and Muslim terrorists.

Is welcoming a Muslim man into a Christian church something everyone present today would be comfortable with? I don’t know, but I do know that our awesome God does not give us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and self-control! After meeting Rohullah, the parable of The Good Samaritan came to mind and I felt so wonderfully blessed to have had a tangible experience of once again scripture coming to life in my own life. My sons and I shared a meal with Rohullah and his support driver and heard first-hand the account of an amazing human fight for survival; a story of family, love, friendships, murder, threats, extortion, organised crime, jail escapes, starvation …All from a man with eyes coloured just like mine. It was an evening I'm sure we'll never forget!

Do you know the parable of The Good Samaritan?

Do you know what scripture teaches?

I urge you today to know it and live it…Don’t compromise! Connect with God and His Word, letting it become a tangible experience. I promise you’ll never feel more alive.

Melanie.

If you would like to follow Rohullah, you can 'like' his Facebook page 'Riding for Refugees'. Click here for 'Riding for Refugees' Facebook Community.