I love watching track and field events. I especially love the relay races, the 4×100 and the 4×400. There is always a lot of drama involved. Usually, winning the race is dependent on many factors: the speed of the team, their synergy, the position of each runner, the expertise of each team member in baton…
Let us be encouraged, and gird ourselves with the truth of God’s word. He will never leave us or forsake us. He is with us, even through this season, perfecting His plans for our lives and ensuring that His will is being done on the earth, as it is in heaven. When we look to Him, He places us and positions us correctly, and aligns us with what He is doing on the earth and in our lives. We have no control over the events that are unfolding, but we have access to the Almighty One Who has everything under His hands.
I don’t know how you are coping with this, but I find that every day, I have to remind myself that God is still in charge and I have no cause to worry. Even then, I find it difficult to muster enough courage to step out of my house to take a walk around my estate.
Isn’t it amazing to realise that we have come to the last quarter of 2019? The days have flown by and we find ourselves trying to take stock of the first nine months of the year. In these parts, this is the time where gloom sets in. Unrealised dreams, unfulfilled promises, dashed hopes. Everything comes to the fore. For some however, it is a happy season. They have a lot to show for the first nine months and are rejoicing at God’s goodness.
Jesus gave many descriptions or examples of hypocrisy, as was practiced by the scribes and the Pharisees. My example was one of them. Going through Matthew Chapter 23, there are a lot of those examples. The first one was the one that applied to me, found in verse 4:
‘For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers’
Be still and know that I am God
Be still, my soul and know
In trust, reclaim the rest He gives
Let every worry cease
There are times in life when we feel so alone, as if we have no one to care for us or look after us. Not because the people don’t exist, but more because at that particular time, we feel like they are far from us and cannot meet the particular need for affection, a listening ear or a warm hug. There are times when I feel like I have over-used the people around me and I just don’t want to bother them. Sometimes it’s because the issue bothering me cannot be discussed freely and I feel scared to open up to people. Whatever the cause, the fact is that at those times, loneliness creeps in quietly and strongly. With no one to turn to for help, what do we do?
So, here I am. Not really feeling up to writing much today. Sitting up is a bit painful. So is lying down. So, I’m encouraging myself. I need to make another trip to the hospital. While summoning the strength to drive all the way, I urge you to enjoy this poem. Let it whisper hope to your heart and bless you, the same way it is blessing me now.
It is an established fact in Christianity that the enemy of our faith is the devil. He is on the opposing side. Christians are on the other side. The field is life. Each side is in the game for a purpose. Our purpose is to establish the Kingdom of God on the earth, the devil’s purpose is to prevent us and to destroy us. The rules of the game are as stated in the word of God, the Bible. The whistle was blown many years ago, when God put Adam in Eden.
Trust is built over time. We need to have trusted God in little things before we can trust Him in big things. We need to have experienced His help in mundane matters before we can trust Him for big things. The earlier we start, the better.
