Have you noticed that when babies want something, they cry and throw tantrums until they get what they want or at least until they get your attention? When babies and children want something, they want it there and then. They cry, whine, throw tantrums, and do everything they know to do to get it.
When a baby is hungry, you have to leave everything else to get him fed. When he wants to sleep and he needs you to rock him to sleep, he'll cry until you attend to him and help him sleep. There's no telling a baby to wait, that it's the wrong timing; he will cry until he gets what he wants.
Recently God dropped it in my heart that I (and most likely you too) am like that! When I pray, I want Him to answer me NOW! And I'll whine, cry, throw tantrums and try to twist His arms until I get what I want.
For babies, I guess that behaviour is acceptable and can't be helped. Firstly, they can barely commnunicate their needs, except through crying; and secondly, you can't reason with them at that age. The best you can do is assure them of your love by attending to their needs and soothing them when they cry.
However, as a child grows older, you would want him to learn that it won't be practicable to have everything he wants exactly how and when he wants it. It's usually not always because what that child wants is unavailable but because, amongst other things, what he wants at that time would hurt him if you gave him immediately. For instance, you just cooked him noodles and he's so hungry he wants it immediately. If you gave him there and then, it will scald his tongue and he'll end up not enjoying the meal. It could also be that out of love for the child and as part of teaching him patience and discipline, you want the child to learn early in life that he won't always have his way and on his own terms.
I have prayers that are yet to be answered and I've tried all I know to get God to answer me NOW. I also know that God is powerful, is not lacking in any resource that He needs to meet my needs, that He loves me and wants my joy complete. However, at times because God wants to teach us trust and patience we don't get immediate answers to our prayer requests. In Luke 18:1-8 Jesus admonished us to "cry to Him day and night" until we get what we ask. Keep asking until you get answers; however, you don't only get answers, you become stronger and more mature in your walk with God. Romans 5:3-5 "And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us."
Cheers!
Note: There are other reasons why we don't get immediate answers to our prayers, but this post is about discipline, trust and patience.
Monday, September 24, 2012
Monday, September 17, 2012
Peel it!
I heard a story in church yesterday and I would like to share it with you.
A mum and son went to the grocery. An elderly man gave the boy an orange, the mum turned to him and asked "So, what do you say?" The boy looked from mum to man and said "Peel it!" handing the orange to the man.
Isn't that true of most, if not all, of us? We are so ungrateful! We never stop making demands of God, we never remember to stop to say "Thank You Lord!".
Psalm 107:1 O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
May God give us grateful hearts!
A mum and son went to the grocery. An elderly man gave the boy an orange, the mum turned to him and asked "So, what do you say?" The boy looked from mum to man and said "Peel it!" handing the orange to the man.
Isn't that true of most, if not all, of us? We are so ungrateful! We never stop making demands of God, we never remember to stop to say "Thank You Lord!".
Psalm 107:1 O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
May God give us grateful hearts!
Monday, August 27, 2012
His Mercy Prevails
Mark 1: 40-42 "And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean. And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed."
Leviticus 13:45-46 "And the leper in whom the plague is, his clothes shall be rent, and his head bare, and he shall put a covering upon his upper lip, and shall cry, Unclean, unclean. All the days wherein the plague shall be in him he shall be defiled; he is unclean: he shall dwell alone; without the camp shall his habitation be."
Under the old covenant, a leper was classified as unclean, could not live in the town or city with others and was supposed to publicly proclaim his status of uncleanness. His condition was worse than the present day stigmatisation of some dreaded incurable diseases like HIV/AIDS.
Under the new covenant, Jesus broke the norm, reached out and TOUCHED a lepper! He could have spoken a word of healing, rebuked the devil or used any other means other than touching the lepper. But the Bible says Jesus had compassion on him, touched him, healed him and cleansed him.
The Master touching a leper, an unclean person, tells me no one is too lost beyond His redemptive power, too "unclean" for Him to cleanse, too far for Him to reach!
The mercy of God supercedes all traditions, commandments, norms and precepts. His mercy prevails over judgement! Appeal to His mercy - the lepper came "beseeching him, and kneeling down to him".
Selah!
Leviticus 13:45-46 "And the leper in whom the plague is, his clothes shall be rent, and his head bare, and he shall put a covering upon his upper lip, and shall cry, Unclean, unclean. All the days wherein the plague shall be in him he shall be defiled; he is unclean: he shall dwell alone; without the camp shall his habitation be."
Under the old covenant, a leper was classified as unclean, could not live in the town or city with others and was supposed to publicly proclaim his status of uncleanness. His condition was worse than the present day stigmatisation of some dreaded incurable diseases like HIV/AIDS.
Under the new covenant, Jesus broke the norm, reached out and TOUCHED a lepper! He could have spoken a word of healing, rebuked the devil or used any other means other than touching the lepper. But the Bible says Jesus had compassion on him, touched him, healed him and cleansed him.
The Master touching a leper, an unclean person, tells me no one is too lost beyond His redemptive power, too "unclean" for Him to cleanse, too far for Him to reach!
The mercy of God supercedes all traditions, commandments, norms and precepts. His mercy prevails over judgement! Appeal to His mercy - the lepper came "beseeching him, and kneeling down to him".
Selah!
Friday, April 20, 2012
Eagle eye
You are probably wondering what it is with me and eagles, since I've written a post about the eagle before and this one is also about the eagle. This creature of God, not only fascinates but also inspires me. This time around I'll be focusing on the eagle's fantastic eyesight and excellent vision.
The eagle's sight or vision is among the sharpest of all animals. In fact, some eagles can see twice as far as human beings and their eyes generally have about five times the sensory cells of the human eye. Also, while human beings have only one fovea (a part of the retina where vision is most acute), eagles have two; thus, the keenness of its vision.
One of the reasons eagles have excellent vision is because of the size of their eyes, which is very large in proportion to their heads. Eagles are also capable of seeing five basic colours, making it easier to sight objects from a far distance. Eagle eyes are also so keen that it's difficult for the birds to fly blindly into danger.
God understands the importance of vision and He says anyone that lacks vision is headed in the direction of destruction. Proverbs 29:18a Where there is no vision, the people perish. As believers, there are some things we can learn from the eagle's visionary capabilities.
Are you visionary? That is, do you have a dream or revelation? Your dream or revelation will drive you towards fulfilment. When God gives you a dream or revelation, He provides the reources to realise them. Is your vision larger than your current state or capability? The eagle has two fovea that make its vision acute. Are the sensory cells in your spiritual eye still effective, enabling you pick or detect the divine arrangements or resources God has made available to aid the fulfilment of that dream? How far do you see? Do you see only black and white? Remember the eagle's eyes see five basic colours; meaning there is always more to that seemingly unpleasant situation or happening because God is able to make ALL things (that is, everything) work out for the good of His children. The eagle's sharp eyes also make it difficult for it to fly blindly into danger; divine revelation and guidance will prevent a believer from falling into harm or danger.
Believers, therefore, need to ask God for more of His Spirit and increased faith to make the best possible use of the gift of Godly vision.
 |
| Eagle eye |
The eagle's sight or vision is among the sharpest of all animals. In fact, some eagles can see twice as far as human beings and their eyes generally have about five times the sensory cells of the human eye. Also, while human beings have only one fovea (a part of the retina where vision is most acute), eagles have two; thus, the keenness of its vision.
One of the reasons eagles have excellent vision is because of the size of their eyes, which is very large in proportion to their heads. Eagles are also capable of seeing five basic colours, making it easier to sight objects from a far distance. Eagle eyes are also so keen that it's difficult for the birds to fly blindly into danger.
God understands the importance of vision and He says anyone that lacks vision is headed in the direction of destruction. Proverbs 29:18a Where there is no vision, the people perish. As believers, there are some things we can learn from the eagle's visionary capabilities.
Are you visionary? That is, do you have a dream or revelation? Your dream or revelation will drive you towards fulfilment. When God gives you a dream or revelation, He provides the reources to realise them. Is your vision larger than your current state or capability? The eagle has two fovea that make its vision acute. Are the sensory cells in your spiritual eye still effective, enabling you pick or detect the divine arrangements or resources God has made available to aid the fulfilment of that dream? How far do you see? Do you see only black and white? Remember the eagle's eyes see five basic colours; meaning there is always more to that seemingly unpleasant situation or happening because God is able to make ALL things (that is, everything) work out for the good of His children. The eagle's sharp eyes also make it difficult for it to fly blindly into danger; divine revelation and guidance will prevent a believer from falling into harm or danger.
Believers, therefore, need to ask God for more of His Spirit and increased faith to make the best possible use of the gift of Godly vision.
Thursday, March 29, 2012
A wrong turn
Have you ever made a wrong turn that left you lost and frustrated trying to get back on track? Well, it happened to me recently and the experience brought to fore some valuable lessons I would like to share with you. Initially I was angry with myself, because I was in a hurry to get somewhere and was thinking of the faster option of two possible routes, until the Holy Spirit made me realise God had some practical lessons for me in the situation.
Patience is a virtue we all must possess as a wrong turn would cost you time and other valuable resources. Thank God traffic wasn't bad that day, I lost about 30 to 40 mins.
A wrong turn can leave you farther from your intended destination and lead to other wrong turns. How far down the wrong path would you have to go to find an exit route? That day I had to drive about 10 km down the wrong path before I could make a u-turn.
It is important to pay attention to signposts. Most roads in life have signposts that give directions or show the way. For a believer, God has given us the Holy Spirit to guide us through the challenges of daily living as well as making the weightier decisions pertaining to destiny and purpose. The antennae of our hearts, therefore, have to always be able to pick the signals from Him that would guide us through life.
Lastly, wrong turns in life can be annoying when we take them but usually there's a blessing around the corner. This post is one of the blessings of a wrong turn I made :-)
Patience is a virtue we all must possess as a wrong turn would cost you time and other valuable resources. Thank God traffic wasn't bad that day, I lost about 30 to 40 mins.
A wrong turn can leave you farther from your intended destination and lead to other wrong turns. How far down the wrong path would you have to go to find an exit route? That day I had to drive about 10 km down the wrong path before I could make a u-turn.
It is important to pay attention to signposts. Most roads in life have signposts that give directions or show the way. For a believer, God has given us the Holy Spirit to guide us through the challenges of daily living as well as making the weightier decisions pertaining to destiny and purpose. The antennae of our hearts, therefore, have to always be able to pick the signals from Him that would guide us through life.
Lastly, wrong turns in life can be annoying when we take them but usually there's a blessing around the corner. This post is one of the blessings of a wrong turn I made :-)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)