Who is Jesus?

Recently, we bought 25 beautiful, new Chichewa Bibles from the Malawi Bible Society  to use in our home Bible study. Two weeks ago, we announced to our neighbors that we would be begin a women's Bible study today. 

This afternoon when we opened our doors, there were 30 women, our neighbors here on the mountain,  gathering for a study of the book of John (which in Chichewa is Johane). When I distributed the Bibles, I realized that most of the women had little prior knowledge of the Bible.  

They didn't know New Testament from Old, and they certainly had no idea how to locate a text. Since all of the Bibles were the same, we announced what page the text was on so the women could follow along as we read.  

In today's study we discussed only verses 1-4 of chapter 1, but that was enough. In those few verses, they learned that Jesus is the pure expression of who the Father is, that he existed with the Father before time began,  from all eternity, that he is the Creator of all things, and he the one who holds all things together by his powerful word. They also learned that mankind is uniquely made above all other created things to know God and to have fellowship with him.

I told the women that Jesus is unique among all the world's religions. All the gods of all the world's religions are dead and buried, but Jesus is alive and his grave is empty. At the end of the class, I asked the women, "And who is Jesus?" They answered, He is God, the one who created everything."

More Prayer for Mbwana

Yesterday, I taught a hand washing lesson in two villages, Ntenga and Mbwana. After the lesson in Mbwana, I divided the women into groups of 5. Then they were given two options: to create and perform a handwashing song they could teach their children,  or to perform a skit that would encourage good handwashing in their community. Most of the groups chose to perform a skit. Most of the skits were funny, so there was a lot of laughing and clapping. 

As usual, we closed the meeting with prayer. At the conclusion of that prayer, one of the women in the back of the room said, "You always pray blessing for all of us. I have been sick for two weeks. Would you pray for me?" I asked her if she wanted me to pray for her then or later. She said, "I want prayer now."

Then spontaneously she and four others stepped to the front of the room and knelt in front of me.  I knelt with them and began to pray for God to touch them and heal them. 

I prayed for Jesus to reveal himself to them and to show them His love. I was so moved with compassion for these precious women, and I know what I was feeling was God's compassion for them. 

It is amazing how God is opening hearts!  I am so grateful for that opportunity to share Jesus' love, and may He give many more.  Pray for a continuing revelation of His love for each one of the women of Mbwana.