Page 5 - Good News November 2009 paper

Dr David Ryser that a prostitute?” don’t even know? And even if we anything else to be a true lover of
number of years ago, I The room went dead silent. For do know someone, is that a God.
had the privilege of several seconds no one moved or guarantee that we truly love So what is it going to be? Which
Ateaching at a School of spoke. We were stunned, afraid to them? Are we lovers or prosti- are we, lover or prostitute? There
Ministry. My students were make a sound because the tutes? are no prostitutes in heaven, or in
hungry for God, and I was Presence of God had flooded into I was pondering Martha’s the Kingdom of God for that
constantly searching for ways to the room, and we knew we were question again one day, and matter, but there are plenty of
challenge them to fall more in on holy ground. All I could think in considered the question, “What’s former prostitutes in both
love with Jesus and to become those sacred moments was, the difference between a lover places. Take it from a recovering
voices for revival in the Church. I “Wow, I wish I’d thought of that.” I and a prostitute?” I realized that prostitute when I say there is no
came across a quote attributed didn’t dare express that thought both do many of the same things, substitute for an unconditional,
most often to Rev. Sam Pascoe. It aloud. God had taken over the but a lover does what she does intimate relationship with God.
is a short version of the history of class. because she loves. A prostitute And I mean there is no palatable
Christianity, and it goes like this: Martha’s question changed my pretends to love, but only as long substitute available to us (take
Christianity started in Palestine life. For six months, I thought as you pay. Then I asked the another look at Matthew 7:21-23
as a fellowship; it moved to about her question at least once question, “What would happen if sometime). We must choose!
Greece and became a philoso- every day. “When a body God stopped paying me?” http://onfollowingchrist.wordpre
phy; it moved to Italy and becomes a business, isn’t that a For the next several months, I ss.com/2009/06/12/the-question-
became an institution; it moved prostitute?” There is only one allowed God to search me to that-changed-my-life-by-david-
to Europe and became a culture; answer to her question. The uncover my motives for loving ryser/
it came to America and became answer is “Yes.” The American and serving Him. Was I really a “Not everyone who says to Me,
an enterprise. Church, tragically, is heavily true lover of God? What would Lord, Lord, will enter into the
Some of the students were only populated by people who do not happen if He stopped blessing kingdom of heaven; but he who
18 or 19 years old - barely out of love God. How can we love Him? me? What if He never did another does the will of My Father Who is
diapers - and I wanted them to We don’t even know Him; and I thing for me? Would I still love in heaven.
understand and appreciate the mean really know Him. Him? Please understand, I believe Many will say to Me in that day,
importance of the last line, so I I stand by my statement that most in the promises and blessings of Lord, Lord, have we not prophe-
clarified it by adding, “An American Christians do not know God. The issue here is not sied in Your Name and driven out
enterprise. That’s a business.” God - much less love Him. The whether God blesses His chil- demons in Your Name and done
After a few moments Martha, the root of this condition originates in dren; the issue is the condition of many mighty works in Your
youngest student in the class, how we came to God. Most of us my heart. Why do I serve Him? Are Name?
raised her hand. I could not came to Him because of what we His blessings in my life the gifts of And then I will say to them openly
imagine what her question might were told He would do for us. We a loving Father, or are they a wage (publicly), I never knew you:
be. I thought the little vignette were promised that He would that I have earned or a bribe/ depart from Me, you who act
was self-explanatory, and that I bless us in life and take us to payment to love Him? Do I love wickedly [disregarding My com-
had performed it brilliantly. heaven after death. We married God without any conditions? It mands].”
Nevertheless, I acknowledged Him for His money, and we don’t took several months to work (Matthew 7:21-23 The Amplified
Martha’s raised hand, “Yes, care if He lives or dies as long as through these questions. Even Bible).
Martha.” She asked such a we can get His stuff. We have now I wonder if my desire to love
simple question, “A business? made the Kingdom of God into a God is always matched by my
But isn’t it supposed to be a business, merchandising His attitude and behaviour. I still
body?” I could not envision anointing. This should not be. We catch myself being disappointed
where this line of questioning are commanded to love God, and with God and angry that He has
was going, and the only are called to be the Bride of Christ not met some perceived need in
response I could think of was, - that’s pretty intimate stuff. We my life. I suspect this is
“Yes.” She continued, “But when are supposed to be His lovers. something which is never fully
a body becomes a business, isn’t How can we love someone we resolved, but I want more than

o amper half verwese, met sy kop omlaag, sit hy in sy wielestoel
op die koöperasie se stoep en wag dat die inval-uur moet kom.
SLangs hom is Albert, sy getroue helper, wat so staan-staan in
die stofferige vensterbank sit. Dis stil tussen hierdie twee Agter-
Kalahari legendes, baie stil, amper grafstil, want jare se saamwees het
hulle geleer om woordloos te kommunikeer. Ek stap nader en hou
hom so onderlangs dop. Skielik kyk hy op en begin dan soekend oor
die oop stuk grond voor die koöperasiewinkel rondkyk, kompleet asof
hy weet dat ek op pad is.
Ek groet met ’n armswaai van ver af en die blydskap op sy geplooide,
sonverskroeide gesig staan soos ’n grashalmpie wat sagte,
blinkwater-reën gedrink het, orent. Versigtig trek ek die swart
plastiek-asblik nader, draai hom kop onderstebo en maak my sit so
gemaklik moontlik daarop. Nog net so amper ’n halfuur, dan sal
hierdie Maandag se middagete agter ons lê en ander mense se

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