The Value of Testimonies - UV 1168/10,000 | Prateep V Philip | Suresh, PCR

Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness. Psalm 119 v 36

                     Our hearts are naturally inclined to covetousness or lust.  People are obsessed with things or possessions. But when we are spiritually born again and  our hearts are circumcised by the Spirit of God, they become inclined toward the Word, the promises of God and the testimonies of God who fulfils the promises in our lives.  We rejoice in the things the Lord teaches us from day to day as if it is great wealth and good nourishment. We find our pleasure in the revelations of the Lord. We enjoy the ways in which He manifests His grace, love and power in our lives.  We look for wisdom, comfort and assurance in the Word.

                  We begin to realize that happiness does not consist in the abundance of things or possessions but in being blessed by the presence of the Lord.  We need to hasten to do that which the Lord bids us to do.  We need to bear witness to the truths and blessings that are ours when we listen and obey. We need to give priority to the things the Lord does in our lives and to give a faithful  account of it to others.  Simultaneously, we need to eschew the lusts and covetousness that is characteristic of the people of this world.

                Our faith is based on experience and evidence. God is a person who believes in giving evidence of His goodness in practical ways in providing for us, in protecting us, in guiding and leading us, in saving us, in blessing us, in multiplying the impact of our contribution and legacy.  He attaches great value to the truthful testimonies of people.  When we hear the testimonies of believers, we give thanks and worship the Lord.  When we ourselves share our stories of how the Lord has intervened and acted in our lives, we cause the Lord Himself to rejoice.  When Jesus obeyed the Word and took baptism at the hands of John the Baptist in the waters of the Jordan, the Father in heaven rejoiced over Him and testified, “ this is my own beloved Son- listen to Him.” Similarly, He testifies of each of us when we bear His testimonies.