During this sermon, Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel tells a true story to show the mysterious ways in which God makes things happen for our good, which is also the way that He communicates with us at times and thus, we should always trust God with everything:
“There was this little village in England, and it was during World War II. This family, they had a one and only son. He went out working. Mum and dad were all of old age. He was the only one working to provide for the family, and life was very tough. He is the only one who is the provider for that household, and the only son they have. While he was working, he fell and broke his leg. When his friends brought him, being carried back home, when the old parents looked at the only son with a broken leg, the first thing they thought of, ‘how are we going to live, going forward,’ not realizing, a few days later, the army came knocking at doors, looking for young men for war. This is a true story. When they came and knocked at the door, they said ‘where is your son?’ They said he just broke his leg a few days ago. He’s not fit.
What we know, is not what God knows. Trust the Lord. When things are going wrong for you, they are going wrong for you, not for God. They are going wrong for you, not for God. Nothing goes wrong for God, because God is always in control, and in charge. Nothing and no one changes, ruins God’s plan . To have that self-confidence, to have that ability to trust in God, you need to be humble, because humility will lead you to obedience. And obedience will give you self-confidence. And self-confidence will allow you to trust in God. See, when we humble ourselves before the Lord Jesus, He will make us wise. Universities that teach theology can only give you knowledge, and a very minute knowledge about God. No matter how educated you are, you’re not even a drop in the ocean of the Divine. So when you go and study, even theology, you are gaining knowledge, only. The only one that gives you wisdom is God. You need to graduate from the university of Jesus Christ of Nazareth himself. There are very knowledgeable Church leaders but are failures in their obligations and duties toward the Lord and the flock of the Lord. Absolute failures, yet very knowledgeable, because they lack wisdom. Why? Because they never humble themselves before God. So, humility gives you wisdom. And only God gives wisdom. And God will only give you His wisdom when you lower yourself before Him, humbling yourself before Him. So, when you humble yourself before the Lord, he will fill you with His wisdom, by His Holy Spirit. When He gives you that wisdom, then and then only, you are able to be obedient, to Jesus Christ of Nazareth.”