A Cheery Countenance

God's Word from my Mother's Mouth, or in other words, The Gospel according to Alice

God’s word:

“My God sent His angel and shut the lion’s mouths and they have not harmed me.” Daniel 6:22 (NASB)

From my mother’s mouth: (Spoken to one of my siblings who had confessed to having said something to someone which she knew she should not have said and later regretted.)

“Honey, if God can shut the mouths of the lions in the lions den, then He can shut yours too! You need to ask him for help next time. (I have remembered this comment from my mother many times when I wanted to eat that extra dessert – If God can shut the mouths of the lions; then I guess He can shut mine too!)

God’s word:

“By the sweat of your face you will eat bread, till you return to the ground, because from it you were taken; for you are dust and to dust you shall return.” Genesis 3:18-20 (NASB)

From my mother’s mouth:

“Get in here right now!! I told you to clean your room…but just look at the mess I found under your bed! And you forgot to sweep your floor. The Bible says from dust man came and to dust man will return, and you’ve got a man either a coming or a going one underneath your bed. Now get your broom and start sweeping!!”

Easter

“But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb, bringing the spices which they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord. And it happened that while they were perplexed about this, behold, two men suddenly stood near them in dazzling apparel; and as the women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, ‘Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but He has risen.’” Luke 24:1-6

He is Risen!

Rev. Adediran had been a pastor for 30 years when he came to Oke Lerin Baptist Church in the Nigerian city where my parents served as missionaries. The members of this church got a bargain! They hired Rev. Adediran for less money than they otherwise would have paid because he was retired. Retired or not, he served at Oke Lerin - for another 29 years! Rev. Adediran was in the ministry for 59 years and only served two churches.

When his wife died, all who knew them suffered a great loss. My parents attended Mrs. Adediran’s funeral. Inside the church, a crowd had gathered. Some were sitting in pews while others stood around in small groups talking quietly. Church members were there as well as other people from the town. My mother began to cry as she entered the church.

Seeing my parents from a distance, Rev. Adideran approached them quickly. With urgency in his voice, he told my mother, “My sister, do not cry! The people will see you! Some here are not believers. We have said that death is different for believers. We have a hope! My wife is in a better place. She is with her Savior! You and I know that - but if the people see your tears, they will think we do not really believe what we tell them. They will think we have no hope.”

But we have a hope! Our hope is in Jesus. Praise God – the tomb was empty!!

“The perishable must put on imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortal…then will come about the saying, ‘O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”(1st Corinthians 15: 53, 54b NASB)