“…The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all” (KJV) Ecclesiastes 9:11

Have you ever done something hurriedly before its scheduled time? Can you recall times when you impatiently performed the task you assigned to someone but realized it would have been better if you had waited? What about situations where you did not get the expected results because you thought you may succeed by using a different approach to the laid down plan.

It was 8:07 AM on a fine morning; I hurried to the bus terminal to pick a bus scheduled for 8:20 AM. I came in earlier because I did not want to miss the bus. It was 8:20 AM and there was no sign of the bus. I impatiently gave myself up to 8:30 AM to keep waiting for the bus after which “I am going to lodge a complaint”, I soliloquized. It was exactly 8:28 AM and I started to call. In the process of being transferred to the appropriate office, I saw the bus approaching; I quickly stopped the call and hurried to join the bus. En route, I ask the driver why he was late. After listening to the driver’s story, I realized that, to have complained would have probably been the biggest mistake I might have made at the end of the year.

It is disappointing when we take ample time to plan for something but fail to live within our plans. We fail to keep to our decisions, principles, time, vows, schedules, etc. The reasons we give to such change of minds are usually based on our own desires. However, if we stick to our plans which are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent or praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8), and we think about such things we will reach our goals. Most at times, we impatiently cancel our plans and loose our blessings. For instance, a man happily weds a woman vowing to be with her “till death keep us part” but turn out to be “till fight, quarrel, barrenness, or families put us asunder”. How sad it is. Also, a young adult will decide to remain chase for her/his future partner but gets destroyed by ungodly relationship. We often pray to God but hurriedly choose the short cut and meet our untimely demise. Women enter into any marriage because they embrace the world idea of “your time will pass” and live a life of unending pain and agony. A young man decides to choose a particular profession but because of the influence of friends changes his decision without any godly counsel. Sadly to say, it is just the beginning of the year but many have already started their next year’s resolution because of the bad decisions they have already made this year.

It is challenging to live up to ones decisions because of the kind of world we find ourselves in. But as Christians should anything separate us from the love of Christ? Is it trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword (Roman 8:35-39); is it home or family or business (Mark 10:28-31); is it friends, relationships, education, or self-interest? Absolutely nothing, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us (Roman 8:37-39).

Have you made a decision to do something you can be proud of at the end of this year? The tortoise has said it will never compete with the horse in a race but with patience and discipline it will get to its destination safely without missing any benefits along the way. Remember to be patient in all things, and with prayer and trust in God, your name shall be victory. Discipline yourself for in discipline we become faithful disciples! May the Lord be with you and have a safe journey through this year.

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“As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work" (NIV) John 9:4

Once upon time, I engaged an accident patient concerning the events that led to the unfortunate accident from which he almost survived unscathed but for his right leg which was so badly damaged, it had to be amputated.

Glassy-eyed, he stared at the ceiling. I wondered what the numerous intertwining neurones of his brain were recalling as the tears began to stream from his eyes and the story poured out from his lips – he got stuck in traffic on one of the newly constructed highways. He had reclined comfortably in the front passenger’s seat of a friend’s car. He happily chatted away with his friend as he drove. Immediately ahead, on the next lane to the right was a full-loaded articulated truck. He could still remember his friend commenting about the unfortunate accidents some articulated trucks had been involved in that week, a comment which he laughed over.

However, that laugh had barely escaped his lips when the container slipped off the articulated truck charging towards him. In desperation to save his skin, he instinctively ducked towards the backseat as he heard his friend yelling. But he must have been too slow because the container slammed into his side of the car at the exact instant that he was retracting his right leg. He blacked out and woke up at the hospital to see his leg amputated. It was a week to his wedding and he had been on his way to purchase his suit with his friend.

As he narrated his story, he blew his nose so hard as though that was going to shoo off the memory and added in a poignant tone I might never forget ‘Even if I had 2 seconds, I could have moved my leg away and escaped whole. If only I had just 2 seconds.’ I surmised that ‘time’ had never been that significant to him. That accident had betrayed the value of only 2 seconds and the message had been driven directly into my heart.

Dear reader, please ask God to help you identify your purpose on earth. Endeavour to spend your time achieving that purpose. Please waste no more time. Tackle any task you have to complete as soon as possible: if you have to do some good to a neighbour, if you have to evangelize to a soul, if some studying awaits you, if there is someone to visit, if there is some work to do. There is no better time than ‘now’ to do whatever thing you have to do. Please do not procrastinate. Our Lord Jesus Christ admonishes that the time to execute our duties expires soon.

Hitherto, I am haunted by the words; ‘If only I had just 2 seconds’. I pray that it would not take us a calamity to teach us the importance of time. That would be too late a time to learn such an indispensable lesson. If there is anything we are allowed to procrastinate, that should be laziness.

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"Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee the crown of life." (KJV) Rev. 2:10b

The early church suffered great persecution from both the Jews and the Roman government. These persecutions were meant to stop Christians from remaining faithful to God. Amidst these persecutions, and the ones yet to come, the Lord comforts Christian with the revelation to the church through the Apostle John.

In the same vein, Christians continue to suffer several forms of persecutions. Some people are coerced to join ungodly and corrupt practices at their work places, in schools, in our communities, from family and friends among others. These persecutions are darts thrown at us by the devil with the aim of causing us to slip off The Way. Jesus comforts us today that he knows our afflictions and poverty (denied needs). However, the good news is that He is much aware of these challenges we are going through and the ones yet to come.

Many so-called men of God present a contrary view. That Christians are not to go through difficult times and that the emergence of difficulties in life is as a result of ‘something supernatural’ that must be dealt with. In the passage, Christians are not promised a problem-free life but a victorious one over challenges. This means that our faithfulness must not be a nine-day wonder but a continuous daily effort. Those who remain faithful unto death will receive the crown of life. This crown of life is eternal and the things of this world cannot be compared to it. Beloved in Christ, be thou faithful unto the end and you shall receive the crown of life!

Hymn:

I'm pressing on the upward way,

New heights I'm gaining every day;

Still praying as I onward bound,

"Lord, plant my feet on higher ground."

Refrain:

Lord, lift me up, and let me stand

By faith on Canaan's tableland;

A higher plane than I have found,

Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.

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"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (NIV) Phil. 4: 6, 7

There is Always Something to be Thankful for (Count your blessings)

Beloved, have there been times in your life when you felt like everything was going wrong and that there was nothing that you could be thankful for? I have felt this way sometimes. In such times, I constantly have to remind myself that despite the challenges of life, there is still a lot to be grateful to God for.

This month, we have been focusing on thanking God for having taken us through the year successfully. But the fact remains that not all of us feel there is a lot to be thankful for. The first part of this two-part devotional is aimed at reminding all of us that no matter how dire our circumstances were over the course of this year, there is still a lot to be thankful for; we are still blessed more than we can imagine. We all need this constant reminder.

Dear child of God, I am convinced that Paul’s use of the word thanksgiving in Phil. 4:6 was by design. Paul wanted to remind us that even when we have “big” issues to put before God, we should do so with gratitude in our hearts, mindful of the fact that even if we cannot see them, God has still showered several blessings on us.

The following is a very common message that I have seen on several posters and I believe it is a great reminder of the need to be thankful in all situations:

If you have food in your fridge, clothes on your back, a roof over your head and a place to sleep you are richer than 75% of the world.

If you have money in the bank, your wallet, and some spare change you are among the top 8% of the world’s wealthy.

If you woke up this morning with more health than illness, you are more blessed than the millions of people who will not survive this week.

If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the agony of imprisonment or torture, or the horrible pangs of starvation you are luckier than 500 million people alive and suffering.

If you can read this message you are more fortunate than 3 billion people in the world who cannot read it at all.

Child of God, things might not have been perfect this year but God is reminding us and encouraging us to focus on the positives of the year; to see the glass half full instead of half empty. Today, embark on a small exercise; try to look back on this year and count the blessings that God has showered on you. Even if you don’t feel there are any blessings to count, just try it anyway. You’ll find that your heart will be filled with joy because there’s a lot to be thankful for.

Hymn:

When upon life billows you are tempest tossed

When you feel discouraged thinking all is lost

Count your many blessings name them one by one

And it will surprise you what the Lord has done

Chorus:

Count your blessings name them one by one

Count your blessings see what God has done

Count your blessings, name them one by one

Count your many blessings see what God has done.

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