Complacency

There used to be a time when I (being a Ph.D in languor and procrastination) used to just sit back and wait for the Lord to do miracles. He has and He will (in future) but that doesn’t mean that we can be slothful, doing nothing. After all, Noah didn’t sit under a tree and wait for God to build the ark! Nor did Abram wait for Canaan to come to him… he and his family moved to Canaan. And the intellectual Paul didn’t keep mum when questioned by Festus and Agrippa- we should do our part, and then wait for the Lord to perfect it.

In I Corinthians 15:32, we come across something not oft mentioned- that Paul has fought against beasts in Ephesus… not just 1 beast but beasts! And he survived! I wonder how it will be like if one of us finds ourselves thrown into an arena, surrounded by ravenous creatures which are cheered on by a callous crowd. I know what most might do- considering that it might be their last day, they would eat, drink and be merry knowing that they won’t live tomorrow (…in fact, what I did on my farewell party). But what did Paul do? Did he just kneel on the ground and allowed the beasts to devour him? He knew that even if he dies corporeally, he would live eternally. But he did his part and fought against the beasts, knowing that he still had to serve his purpose. Perhaps one is reminded of how Daniel was thrown into the den of lions by Darius? (though Daniel didn’t have to fight against the lions).