Let’s get passports, shall we?

April 24, 2017by Wanjiku J. Kiarie3

A few weeks ago, I finally decided it was time to get passports for my two children. This is something my husband and I have been musing over for the longest time (I make it sound like years ???, yet our children are both under four years) but finally we agreed to do it. Our daughter’s birthday was coming up end of March and her passport would be an appropriate gift, a promise of future travels ??? maybe?

So I went online and made the application, and we paid up. Then printed the invoices and the application form as was instructed. Afterwards I went ahead and called a friend who had recently acquired a passport asking him to tell me what I required apart from the fully filled in forms and the invoices. He aptly told me I only needed a signed national identification copy of either a lawyer, doctor or religious leader.  All this time I never even once read the instructions clearly written out on the first page of the application forms, they detailed everything I needed to accompany the application forms and invoices: but noooooooooooo, why waste time when my friend could tell me.

My husband called up a friend who fitted the recommender bill and booked an appointment. He shows up to pick up a signed national identification copy and our dear recommender asks: “Where are the application forms? I need to sign on the forms.” When my husband called me up, I almost fainted! What? How could my friend be so misleading? So I went about planning for another appointment with our friend so that she could sign the application forms.

You’d think I would have learnt my lessons and by now the instructions on the application form were at the back of my hand, nope! The night before I meet my friend, she calls and asks me something about the forms. I had no clue, then she sternly told me to read the instructions on the first page of the form. Walalalalalalala, I realized the recommender is also supposed to certify passport photos. Passport size photos that I didn’t even have, yes. My plan was to take the photos on the way to drop our applications.

In hindsight, I really wonder what had beguiled me. Seriously, all the instructions were on the form: In black and white, clear as crystal. I didn’t need to call anyone, I just needed to read the instructions and follow them to the letter.

Let’s think about our Christian faith, our walk with the LORD. How many times do we feel the urge to relax and let everyone else do the work for us: Pray for us, Read the Bible and interpret it for us? How many times would we rather take the easy path in our walk with the Lord? I was much challenged after I finally dropped off the application forms and succeeded. The entire process had taken me almost a month! Yes a month, a process that would have taken me less than three days!

A few weeks ago I was tuned in to the radio and I heard a story that caught my attention. An accomplished athlete from Kenya  had gone to Nigeria for prayers for because of injuries she continued to have and for her marriage which was facing a few challenges. I immediately remembered my passport application woes and all that I was learning as a result of it. I wondered to myself, why travel to Nigeria to seek God? It is not a cheap affair, you know. Yet God is everywhere, Emmanuel God with us.

For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given;
and the government will be upon his shoulder,
    and his name will be called
“Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
(Isaiah 9:6)

Jesus Christ is already born, has lived among us and died in our place; He is risen! He who is the Wonderful Counselor is no longer a promise but a reality. He lives within each and everyone who proclaims to be a child of God. He is unlimited by space, time, language, gender, and even challenges. He is above all. Unlike in the past when humanity needed intermediaries, when humanity needed to travel to a specific place and worship in a specific way to get through to God we now have direct access to the Father.

Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we have not a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:14-16)

The way is made, we can enter boldly. We need to enter boldly, we must enter boldly and we will find mercy and grace to help in time of need. Let us keep off from the continuous urge to stray back into legalism, into intermediaries, back to the law: yet Christ has already come, lived and died for us to have a direct way to the Father. Let us keep off laziness from reading and studying God’s Word, but be studious students of the Living Word of life. And when we do get to sit and learn from servants of God, let us be like the Bereans : go back home and search the scriptures to ensure that what was taught is indeed true.

All by God’s grace and to God’s glory!

 

Image Source: howtodiys.com

3 comments

  • JOSEPH

    April 24, 2017 at 7:16 AM

    i love this- i also fall prey to that! GOD HELP ME to seek you and not Men

    Reply

    • Joyce Mwangi

      April 24, 2017 at 4:37 PM

      Amen

      Reply

  • Irene mwangi

    May 2, 2017 at 12:16 PM

    This is so true.We want the easy process to reach God yet He is longing for our fellowship with Him.By the way we have been postponing getting passports for our children for so long i think its the right time

    Reply

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