Trinkets Of Fact

To this point, we have received undeniable wisdom, beaming light and resuscitated faith from our Bible text. We have been fed from, the Trinity, Testimony and the Truth of Fact.

Trinkets of fact – Then the angel said to them, Do not be afraid.  

The fourth light of the seven-branched candelabra-like Bible text, beams with joyous hope to all unsure and tentative thinking minds and sad hearts. When we hear the word trinket, immediately our minds go to items which are loved and cherished, sometimes kept in a trinket box. These items may range from very expensive to very inexpensive in value, each with its own special story and heart memory.

The word, said, comes to us as a simple, ordinary word, yet I have called this a trinket. It is a trinket because, although it is an everyday word, found on the lips of all people, in this setting it is nothing short of a word of grace, beyond human comprehension. A heavenly being, who only knows the natural, native tongue of angels, whose daily speech and talk are only fit for the heavens above, has come down on assignment by God, consigned to shepherds, keeping watch over their flock by night. The angel has been given voice and word, so that human eyes may see and human ears may hear and understand. Will you think most consciously of this?

Isn’t it special, expressly special and utterly priceless, to know that God will take one of His dear, heavenly dwellers and totally take charge of his speech to ensure humans are able to hear? Have you ever thought of this? God so changed the vision and voice of His heavenly being, when he stood before those frightened human beings and spoke to them, they did not just hear voices, but they were able to understand and heed what was said to them.

The excitement here for me and for all who will grab these as trinkets of grace, comes in unlimited light of personal hope. One beautiful trinket of hope is that like those shepherds, regardless of my outside, field dwelling, there is hope that God can send His angel to me also. I am not excluded from such hope, neither are you. Another, even more sacred and divine, personal trinket is this. Like the shepherds, seeing, hearing and understanding will take place, even though I may not be schooled in fine learning. You and I do not have to be trained, schooled, skilled or born with the art of hearing, to be able to hear, see and know what is being told to us. Yet another most gorgeous, personal trinket is that even though fear may have been my initial response, the words of the angel are so full of God’s commanding authority, that when I am told, not to be afraid, all fear in me is gone, vanished away like vapour. Likewise, it is the same for you.

Let’s now take the example of Ananias, a disciple of Jesus, like the majority of us. What I mean is that he is not a Peter, or John, or Barnabas, or Paul. He is just an ordinary disciple whom the Lord chooses to use on a peaceful, simple, straightforward mission. God wants Ananias to go and minister to a man called Saul of Tarsus. When God comes to His servant in a vision, he is not at all afraid or tentative. He answers forthwith, Here I am, Lord. Acts 9: 10b. 

However, when told why his Lord wants him, he becomes most sceptical and afraid for the safety of his life. He knows only too well about this Jesus-hater, the man with a mission to persecute Christians. This is what he says to God. Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name. Acts 9: 13b – 14. Clearly, this servant of Jesus who is speaking in Jesus’ Name, is afraid. Wouldn’t you be also?

However, we look at the attitude and manner of our Unseen God as He understands this human response in Ananias. Can’t you feel, can’t you just hear Jesus telling His servant, though not in these expressed words, not to be afraid, for He has it all under His control? Isn’t that what Jesus is saying to Ananias, when He gently tells Him, to go? Doesn’t this make your fears and scepticism weaken in you, in some work our Jesus has called you to do for Him? Don’t faith and trust take over all fears and tentativeness? Doesn’t this clothe you, like a blanket of warm trinkets of grace? Grace to see and hear your human weakness. Grace to understand and not refuse you. Grace to comfort and assure you. Grace to so want you that nothing of hindrance in you will cause any abortion of God’s will for you. 

Be an undisputed witness of Trinkets of Fact in your life, showing unmerited grace even in your weak, human responses. May the power of the Invisible God hold vision in you.