Today, there are many people who follow Christ only because they need to get their needs met, thus they come to God only seeking tangible blessings. That is why after receiving such blessings they cease to pray and fast, and some even totally stop relating with God. They fail to realise that tangible blessings like wealth, good health, deliverance, and or marriage are not a guarantee that one has found God. These blessings do not guarantee satisfaction in life. The real everlasting satisfaction in life comes when man experience God. It is for this reason that the blessing of God should go beyond the tangibles and lead to the salvation of your soul.
The bible says, “Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?” The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.” Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked. Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, “See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you,” [John 5 -5-9, 14]
The man in the scripture was physically healed but he understood that receiving the blessing of good health was not enough and did not guarantee the salvation of his soul. He understood that it was a means of raising an awareness that God is alive and He cares about him. The blessing was only a bridge that linked him with his salvation. After he was healed, he went to the temple where he received help to maintain that salvation. This is an example that Christians must strive to emulate. It is only God’s Word that can help you maintain your salvation. God is calling you to look beyond what you are looking for, that is, look beyond God’s blessing if you desire to have a long lasting relationship with Him.
Our Lord Jesus Christ asked, “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?” [Mark 8:36]. Likewise, what good is it for you to gain deliverance, healing, breakthrough, money, good health and yet lose your own salvation? Jesus said,” it is not good at all,” because if you gain the whole world and yet forfeit your own soul everything you have under the sun amounts to nothing. If you receive God’s blessings but lose your salvation, you are like a person who studied at the university for many years to attain a degree and then die before tasting the benefits of his education. In the grave there is no toiling, there is no doctor or engineer, so everything you got through the skill will amount to nothing. The bible says, “All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one,” Hebrews 11:13-16. The architect of such a city is God Himself, so He has already laid the foundation of heaven.
Jesus Christ has healing, deliverance and blessing readily available for you. However, this is not all that God wants to offer you; it is only a means of drawing you closer to Him so that He may save you. If you are only seeking God for the things under the sun, sooner or later you will fail the things beyond the sun. Many at times, when Christians are challenged, they complain, murmur, blame God and even question His existence. If you happen to leave this world while still complaining and questioning His existence then you would have failed your test.
Many people in the church today are short sighted. They tend to forget the purpose of their coming to Christ; they cannot see beyond the blessings they receive or the trials they experience. Everyone who is short sighted is bound to misbehave during trials or after receiving a blessing. If you know that your relationship with God is not temporary, people may ridicule you regarding your situation but you will just ignore them and continue to smile because you know what is in God’s heart. Your trials will not worry you because you are looking beyond what they are looking at. Each and every day as you live your life, know that you are called to look beyond what is seen and tangible. Life under the sun is all in vain if it does not lead to the salvation of your soul.
