YOU HAVE A PLACE

"There is a 13 year difference between my siblings" a friend mentioned

"The last is an Oops baby" I commented

"No,she was a retirement plan for my parents.They needed a child to keep them busy once they retire"our conversation continued

As our discussion continued, it dawned on me that there are all types of babies by human description.Some they say are accidental,some are unplanned.Others are retirement plans.

Since then, I have been thinking about life and purpose.I was drawn to the scripture in Jeremiah that says:

David Psalms 139 adds:

You are God's workmanship,created for a special purpose.Your parents may not have planned for you.They may even have seen you as one who came to spoil their fun. They may have thought of aborting you. Actually, they might have tried

By the fact that you are alive,God had and still has a plan for you.He knit you together in your mother's womb.There are no accidental children.God was not surprised at your birth.He knew you would be born.He actually arranged where you would be born and when.

If you ever doubted your being alive, I thought of encouraging you that you are alive because you have a purpose to fulfil.There are shoes that only you can wear.There is a gap that will remain unfilled if you don't fill it.

There is a space for you.You shall fill it.Deal?

I WILL GIVE YOU REST

Today I woke up feeling happy and excited.You know the kind of days that you tell yourself this is the day the Lord has made i will be glad and rejoice in it..That one!As I walked to the bus stop  was whispering in my head, I praise you Lord for I am beautifully and wonderfully made.

It's noon and my heart has just sank. Many thoughts flowing through my mind. Reason: Unknown. I think its just one of those sudden feelings that comes.So I decide to bow my head on my desk for some minutes and to think properly.Some friends say I tend to be overly analytical.

With my head bowed,I began asking myself what has downcast you Oh my soul.Then came the answer.The Stuck feeling. The feeling that I am not where am supposed to be. The empty feeling like the wheels of my life are stuck in mud.

Just as I am sharing with a friend "my discovery", a beautiful Scripture comes to me that says

That's when it dawns on me that when Christ said He will give us rest, He was referring to  literally every burden. Including the burdens of feelings.The inadequacies of everyday.

I felt the urge to write this to encourage you who is feeling stuck in life, you are feeling inadequate, you feel like your life is losing direction, you feel burdened and bogged down by many thoughts,Christ is saying you can go to Him and He will give you rest.He will give you the peace of heart and mind.

Life is tough I know.No wonder Christ wants to give you rest.

HE AIN'T ON BREAK

I was reading the Scripture about Elijah and the prophets of Baal in 1 Kings 18 this morning and I thought of sharing a few things.

So now the altar is set.Elijah gives the prophets the opportunity to win.He lets them choose their 'favorite' bull and allows them to take their sweet (well am not sure if it was sweet) time to call on their god.They call on their god till noon and no response.I found myself comparing their frustration to   that one gets when you ask for a service and you get the message Server not found.

  
Elijah then asks them in Verse 27. 

 “Shout louder!” he said. “Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened.”

As if they took the advise seriously the prophets actually cried aloud .They even started cutting themselves.They continued their theatrics and gymnastics till evening to no avail.

Then came Elijah’s turn. He tried to make the battle tougher for himself by daring the prophets to pour a lot of water on both the wood and the sacrifice.The prophets must have been eagerly waiting for Elijah to fail.Yet Elijah made a simple prayer. In Vs 36-37

“Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command.

Answer me, Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, Lord, are God, and       that you are turning their hearts back again.”

Immediately the fire came down and consumed the sacrifice.And the people fell and worshipped God

What stood out for me as I read through this story is the fact that God is invincible. That which took the prophets of Baal hours and theatrics to not achieve took Elijah only a prayer to conquer and surpass the expectation

I was reminded of Daniel 3:17-18

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter.

If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”

It must have taken Elijah a lot of faith in God for him to challenge the Baal prophets and that is the same kind of faith that we are to have .It was strong confidence in God that gave the three men the audacity to look at the king straight in the eye and let him know that they would not bow to his god. Throughout the Bible whenever people dared to fully trust God, He came through for them.

Perhaps as Elijah mocked the prophets, the Baal might have actually been busy traveling or asleep.    Isn't it relieving to know that we can always get through to God? That He never sleeps He never slumbers He is never too busy to hear us. He is never on safari.

  
Friend, I thought of reminding you of God; The Almighty God. That as David says He is an ever present help in times of need.You might be in a situation that has left you wondering where is God. Well the truth is God is right there with you and He will see you through it.He ain't on break.

LET THAT GIANT KNOW

I am currently studying  the book of 1^st Samuel and this morning, I was reading chapter 17 that tells  the famous story of David defeating Goliath. Just the appropriate scripture that I needed for the day. 

As I read through, the mental picture I got was a bit interesting. Picture this, Goliath was huge. As in he was HUGE.To  add to his already intimidating size, Goliath had a bronze helmet,a coat of scale armour of bronze weighing 5,000 shekels(about 57kgs), bronze greaves, a bronze javelin and a spear.Pause.

Now contrast David. A tiny shepherd boy, facing a mighty giant with only five smooth stones and a sling, no armour no bronze helmet. No wonder,The giant looks at him and despises him asking, "am I a dog that you come at me with sticks. I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the beasts of the field”

What struck me about the story of David  and Goliath was the kind of faith, crazy faith, that David had in God.  His response in verse 45-47 is particularly interesting. He tells the giant, "You come to me with sword and spear and javelin but I come against you in the Name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies

Verse 50  then records “So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, without a sword he struck down the philistine and killed him”. David knew that what he truly needed was not the huge armour, but God. No wonder when Saul offered his tunic, David politely refused it.

Friend, I am not sure what giants lie ahead of you. The kind that are staring at you and threatening to tear you apart, I write this to encourage you that with God you can face that Goliath. Lean not on the strength of your armour but instead anchor yourself in the Name of the Lord Almighty. Go forth, and Like David, tell the giant the strength of your God. Don't let it intimidate you into thinking that you can't make it. Also, like David,Remain confident that the Lord who saw you through the lions and the bears is still with you.  

My dear, You can and you will make it through that giant.The battle is the Lord's, The victory is yours and the glory is His.The Lord who has always fought for you is still by your side.He will deliver you again.