As I ponder over the the times in my life when I've had to wait for several prayers to be answered, I came across this piece which brought home the point. I hope you find strenght in God as I did during your waiting season.
Joseph sat on the cold prison floor. Two years he had been there. He thought of his loyal service to the Lord, his honesty to the Eyptian master, and now his strange, reward.
He arose, his body weak from lack of exercise and long confinement. His brother's faces came to mind. "Shalt thou indeed reign over us?" Their contemptuour laughter seemed to echo off the prison walls. Yet, the Lord had sent the dream, the Lord Has promised. He'll wait.
Abraham climbed the hill until he stood squinting against the sun, He looked out over the wide plains, the highlands and the valleys.
Countless times he had looked over this land and had believed and had waited. He thought of Sarah, her womb long since dead. Ridicule taunted him, but his face remained unchanged.
"I will make thee a great nation...."
"I will multiply thee exceedingly....... lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son."
Turning his gray head agains the sun, he walked slowly down the hill. The wait continues.
"Mary, we must make a trip to Bethlehem," jaseph said gently. He looked at her body great with child. Mary rode quietly on the donkey. The trip had been hard, a strange ride for one who was carrying the Son of God. As they neared Bethlehem, the road thickened with people.
"It's going to be hard to find a place to stay," some one said to Joseph. But Mary carried the Son of God. Surely, there would be a room for the Son of God!
Mary recalled the gossip about her when Joseph married her. "The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee.... and that Holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God."
The people of Nazareth had not believe that. Would the travelers on the road believe her to be the mother of their King?
"(You) shalt bring forth a son, and shall call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son fo the Highest....."
Many hours later, Joseph admitted, "Mary, there are no rooms. I'll ask about a stable."
Here? In a stable? Mary's eyes, scanned the dirt floor, the drafty walls. Were would she put him, on the harsh straw? Was it truly the Son of God she bore?
She lay quietly and waited.
The day before Pharaoh called for Joseph to interpret his dreams was as uneventful as the hundreds of days that had preceded it.
The day before Sarah told Abraham that she carried a child resembled the hundreds of days before it.
And until Mary looked down into the face of the infant Jesus, God's promises seemed still unfulfilled.
When the heavens seem brass, and God's hand refuses to move, when each day begins and ends with no answers, this is the waiting season. The season when one can bring great glorly to God or great shame, depending on how one waits.
"Gospel Trumpeter"
13 March 2011
14 February 2011
Salute
It's Valentine's day today.
Happy Valentine's day to all my wonderful friends and family spread across the globe.
it's a day set side for love. This got me thinking about the greatest love a person can have for another?. According to John 15:13, the greatest love a person can have for his friend is to give his life for them. We know of one who did that for us and for this we are eternally grateful.
Question? Can/have you given your life for anyone? I can picture the look of surprise on your face. I don't mean like Jesus did. Have you ever gone without so that someone else can have?
The following are in my opinion, examples of giving up of one's live for a friend and i salute you if you have ever given up anything for anyone.
If you've had to hold back on your dream to ensure that a love one gets to fulfil their's.
If you've had to look after your frail parent despite the financial difficulty involved.
If you've given your home or a space in your home to accommodate someone in need.
If you've had to relocate to another country in search of greener pastures in hope of a better life for your love ones you've left behind.
If you've had to give up your education so that your siblings can have an education.
If you've given up your job, to be a full time carer to a sick friend, parent, sibling or neighbour.
If you've had to give up the comfort of your own home, job and time to care for the sick and wounded in deserter zone.
If you constantly have to give your time to serve your local community, your church, your, family/friends.
The list is endless, if you can't fine yourself in this list look at your life and at any selfless act of kindness you've shown another and thank the Good Lord for enabling you to be of help.
Celebrate yourself today because you've demonstrated the greatest love a person can give in being selfless.
Happy Valentine's day to all my wonderful friends and family spread across the globe.
it's a day set side for love. This got me thinking about the greatest love a person can have for another?. According to John 15:13, the greatest love a person can have for his friend is to give his life for them. We know of one who did that for us and for this we are eternally grateful.
Question? Can/have you given your life for anyone? I can picture the look of surprise on your face. I don't mean like Jesus did. Have you ever gone without so that someone else can have?
The following are in my opinion, examples of giving up of one's live for a friend and i salute you if you have ever given up anything for anyone.
If you've had to hold back on your dream to ensure that a love one gets to fulfil their's.
If you've had to look after your frail parent despite the financial difficulty involved.
If you've given your home or a space in your home to accommodate someone in need.
If you've had to relocate to another country in search of greener pastures in hope of a better life for your love ones you've left behind.
If you've had to give up your education so that your siblings can have an education.
If you've given up your job, to be a full time carer to a sick friend, parent, sibling or neighbour.
If you've had to give up the comfort of your own home, job and time to care for the sick and wounded in deserter zone.
If you constantly have to give your time to serve your local community, your church, your, family/friends.
The list is endless, if you can't fine yourself in this list look at your life and at any selfless act of kindness you've shown another and thank the Good Lord for enabling you to be of help.
Celebrate yourself today because you've demonstrated the greatest love a person can give in being selfless.
11 February 2011
Love's frequency
I don’t know if anyone has noticed, but the buzz which usually surrounds the shopping mall, city centres and news media as we approach Valentine's day seems to be low key this year.
One of the reasons I think is that people are wiser and are no longer swayed by the lure of offers during this time of the year.
Another reason I believe, is that people are more cautious with their finances given the current economic climate and are thinking of other ways to show their love ones they do care and love them rather than through the usual obvious means suggested by the media.
While I am all for celebrating Valentine, I believe that we can have a celebration of love with those dear to us whenever we choose to, take Christmas holidays for example, that’s one big celebration of love as we go out of our way to call, buy and spend time with those dear to us.
As we approach the 14th of February set aside for lovers, I want to urge you if you’ve never thought of celebrating people you care about other than on this day, to begin from the 14th to appreciate and celebrate each day you have with them.
A few recommendations for you:
Treat people in your life lovingly, kindly, selflessly with respect all year round.
Be in constant contact with those you call friends/family (love ones) as often as you can and not just on birthdays, Valentine’s Day or Christmas day, this act will create an atmosphere of endearment in your heart towards them all year round, not just on special days.
Let’s start and consciously treat others as we would love to be treated, if you want friends show yourself friendly, remember we get as much as we give.
Throw caution to the wind and be reckless in giving your time, love, attention and gifts to those you hold dear or anyone around you regardless of whether they return the favour. (After all, love seeks not its own).
Let’s decide to be mindful of the effect our actions/inactions have on others. This will help us manage our relationships better
So straight from my heart, I urge you as valentine approaches make a fresh start and decide to be selfless with your emotions, time, thoughts and words, be the first to make that call, to give a smile, to write, to visit.
Try this for a few weeks and you’ll discover a new Joy you’ve never experience before.
Owe no one anything but love, do your bit and let’s change the world’s meaning of “love me and I’ll love you”, one person at a time.
Difference faces, races, paces,
Yet the same grace, love and mercy,
Pour on all.
Let us embrace our given grace
And extend to all the mercy we've each receive.
One of the reasons I think is that people are wiser and are no longer swayed by the lure of offers during this time of the year.
Another reason I believe, is that people are more cautious with their finances given the current economic climate and are thinking of other ways to show their love ones they do care and love them rather than through the usual obvious means suggested by the media.
While I am all for celebrating Valentine, I believe that we can have a celebration of love with those dear to us whenever we choose to, take Christmas holidays for example, that’s one big celebration of love as we go out of our way to call, buy and spend time with those dear to us.
As we approach the 14th of February set aside for lovers, I want to urge you if you’ve never thought of celebrating people you care about other than on this day, to begin from the 14th to appreciate and celebrate each day you have with them.
A few recommendations for you:
Treat people in your life lovingly, kindly, selflessly with respect all year round.
Be in constant contact with those you call friends/family (love ones) as often as you can and not just on birthdays, Valentine’s Day or Christmas day, this act will create an atmosphere of endearment in your heart towards them all year round, not just on special days.
Let’s start and consciously treat others as we would love to be treated, if you want friends show yourself friendly, remember we get as much as we give.
Throw caution to the wind and be reckless in giving your time, love, attention and gifts to those you hold dear or anyone around you regardless of whether they return the favour. (After all, love seeks not its own).
Let’s decide to be mindful of the effect our actions/inactions have on others. This will help us manage our relationships better
So straight from my heart, I urge you as valentine approaches make a fresh start and decide to be selfless with your emotions, time, thoughts and words, be the first to make that call, to give a smile, to write, to visit.
Try this for a few weeks and you’ll discover a new Joy you’ve never experience before.
Owe no one anything but love, do your bit and let’s change the world’s meaning of “love me and I’ll love you”, one person at a time.
Difference faces, races, paces,
Yet the same grace, love and mercy,
Pour on all.
Let us embrace our given grace
And extend to all the mercy we've each receive.
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