Thursday, September 1, 2011

Training to be godly!

Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives' tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. (1 Timothy 4:7)

In 1955 in a small village in Morocco, 26 year old Zahra Aboutalib was looking forward to giving birth to her first child, but after 48 hours of painful labour, she was rushed to the local hospital where doctors informed her that she would need a caesarean section. She fled the hospital after she saw another woman die in labour. In the ensuing days Zahra continued to suffer severe labour pains but the baby remained in her womb. After a few more days the pains ceased and the baby stopped moving. In Moroccan culture, it is believed that a baby can sleep inside the mother to protect her honour. Zahra believed this myth and put the pregnancy out of her mind. She adopted three children. When Zahra was 75 years old, the pains suddenly returned. Her son took her to a specialist, Professor Taibi Ouazzani who suspected the distended belly was being caused by an ovarian tumour and did an ultra-sound scan which revealed a large mass that he could not identify. He referred Zahra to a specialist radiographer who took a detailed MRI scan to reveal that it was the baby Zahra had conceived 46 years earlier.

The woman in question believed in a myth and it came back to trouble her 46 years later. There are many myths propogated regarding the Christian faith too that people believe in and are led astray. Christians should check what the Word of God says regarding what they are taught and what they hear. The Apostle Paul adviced young Timothy to refrain from going after myths, as we read in the title verse.

Luke, the physician, writes about a good quality of the Bereans.
Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. (Acts 17:11)

Christians should examine the things that they receive as teachings to see whether what they are being taught are true and according to the Word of God.
Test everything. Hold on to the good. (1 Thessalonians 5:21)

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