«Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me» (Psalm 50:15).
PAUL RATSARA never knew who put poison in his food, but whoever it was, had had every intention of killing him. After a long recovery, Paul did not return to school, but stayed at home to tend the family farm. Would this be his fate for the rest of his life? The story is told by Derek J. Morris.
Morris says that one day, while Paul was doing his daily chores, he found a book that caught his eye. It was a copy of the New Testament and the Psalms, in his native language, the malgache language. Paul never imagined that this little book would become his faithful companion. Beginning with the Gospel of Matthew, he read the entire book over and over again. Why hadn’t anyone told him before about Jesus? Then Paul decided to resume his studies in another city. There he began attending a Christian church, where he soon became a youth leader and, later, a minister of the gospel. Since then, as Derek J. Morris recounts, «Paul has dedicated himself to sharing with others the gospel of Jesus Christ,» even at the risk of his own life.
One such difficult experience occurred in Kinsasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Paul was walking down the street when an armed man forced him into a vehicle where two others who were also armed, were waiting. They robbed him then told him that they would kill him. Paul then recalled todays verse: » ‘Call upon Me in the day of trouble. .'»
A feeling of deep peace flooded his heart. «I am a missionary from Madagascar,» he told his captors, «and I am here to serve God and humanity, including you.» Soon, the criminals began a heated argument. In the end, the one who appeared to be the leader said in French: «We’re not going to hurt him! He is a man of God!» Suddenly, the vehicle stopped, and he was told, «Pastor, you are a free man. You can go.»
What did Paul do, then? Instead of fleeing, he asked the criminals to take him back to the city. They agreed, and on the way back they gave him back his belongings, and told him which streets to avoid because there could be bandits there!
What did Paul Ratsara learn from this experience? «I have learned,» he said, «that to live, you must first be ready to die. To be free, you have to be free from the fear of death. My daily prayer is to be in harmony with God at every moment, and to believe that His angels are with me.» «To be in harmony with God at every moment.» As a prayer, it’s not a bad way to start the day! Don’t you think?
Wonderful God, today I want to be «in harmony with You.» May Your angels also be with me at all times.
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Taken from: Devotional Readings for Adults 2022
“GREAT IS OUR GOD!”
From: FERNANDO ZABALA
Collaborators: Xiomara Perdomo & Angelica Cuate
