TWO EMOTIONAL WOMEN!!!

For the last 3 days, I have been EMOTIONAL….yes, I am full of GOOD EMOTIONS. And while I do not know how to express them through this computer screen…one thing is for sure. My EMOTIONS at this point in time can only equal the emotions of these TWO VERY EMOTIONAL WOMEN in the bible. So…I will borrow their words…to express my own emotions as well as theirs!

HANNAH…THE BARREN ONE.

She was married to a wonderful husband but couldn’t bear him children. She was constantly mocked and ridiculed by her co-wife. But finally, God heard her prayer and opened her womb. She became the mother of Samuel…one of the greatest prophets in the Old Testament.

1 Samuel 2:1-10 Then Hannah prayed and said: “My heart REJOICES in the Lord; in the Lord my horn is lifted high. My mouth boasts over my enemies, for I delight in your deliverance. ‘There is no-one holy like the Lord; there is no-one besides you; there is no Rock like our God. ‘Do not keep talking such arrogance, for the Lord is a God who knows, and by him deeds are weighed. ‘The bows of the warriors are broken, but those who stumbled are armed with strength. Those whose were full hire themselves out for food, but THOSE WHO WERE HUNGRY HUNGER NO MORE. SHE WHO WAS BARREN HAS BORNE SEVEN CHILDREN, but she who has many sons pines away. ‘The Lord brings death and makes alive; he brings to the grave and raises up. ‘The Lord sends poverty and wealth; he humbles and he exalts. HE RAISES THE POOR

SIMPLY CHURCH!

Psalm 20:7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but WE TRUST in the NAME OF THE LORD OUR GOD.

What does SIMPLY CHURCH got to do with anything? You see, church…for you and I may have a whole lot of different meanings. And so does…CHARIOTS AND HORSES. Ask the nobles in the days gone by and you might found out that…CHARIOTS AND HORSES represented in those days…POWER, PROSPERITY & PRESTIGE. In the middle ages, those who owned and rode in HORSE AND CHARIOTS…were usually the CREME of the society, to be regarded with high honour…not because of anything they had done on their part but simply because one was born into aristocracy.

But what does SIMPLY CHURCH got to do with you and me? EVERYTHING...and much more. Church…and I mean church in the only place where you require no qualifications whatsoever to be part of…other than…allowing Jesus to take your lowly place by forgiving your sins and admitting you into AN ETERNAL ARISTOCRACY…in this life and in eternity. Yes…CHARIOTS and HORSES can seem for some like a secure place…of power, prosperity and prestige…but SIMPLY CHURCH…is more secure than all the horses and chariots put together. Why? Because the bible says so:

A TIME TO REMEMBER AND CELEBRATE!

Tomorrow is my husband’s birthday. It will be the 8th birthday we will be CELEBRATING together…as a couple and now, as a family. His birthday is made up of many fine and treasured memories of our times together. The Lord has been gracious…oh, yes…too gracious. Like David, I REMEMBER and in prayer I ask;

‘WHO AM I, LORD GOD, AND WHAT IS MY FAMILY, that You have brought me this far? And as if this were not enough in Your sight, O GOD, You have spoken about the future of the house of Your servant. You have looked on me as though I was the most exalted of me, O God. 1 Chronicles 17:16-17

Our past….has been MEMORABLE
Our present...is PALATABLE
Our future…will be INCREDIBLE

I met my husband almost 8 years ago while he was a missionary brother in the Catholic congregation of the CONVENTUAL FRANCISCANS FRIARS...whose founder was ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI in the 12th Century. On that first birthday together, I gave him a little book with beautiful proverbs and sayings unaware that 8 years down the road…some of the words in that little book who come to pass…in ways unimaginable.

A JOY OF SORTS!!!

Today, I just picked up my Polish ID which now identifies me as a rightful and lawful citizen of this country, Poland. It is strange, but when I got the identity card, I felt a JOY OF SORTS. But why do I say that? Because a couple of years back, after I had qualified to become a citizen of this country under the Polish marriage act, I resisted the idea. On one hand, I wasn’t yet ready to disconnect from my roots, while on the other, there was need for me to be a part of where God had placed me, that is, at my husband’s side. Then something happened in early November, last year that made my decision…either way inevitable. A decision had to be made…and made quickly. When I finally made the decision to give up my country’s citizenship…which is the requirement before you become a Polish citizen, I felt a strange relief and peace.
After what has been a four month process…today…I get the TANGIBLE EVIDENCE that I am part of this society.

ARE YOU BEEN INSTRUCTED?

Job 22:21-22 Submit to God and be at peace with him; in this way prosperity will come to you. ACCEPT INSTRUCTION FROM HIS MOUTH and lay up his words in your heart.

Are you been instructed? In our modern world, we have learned not to take TIME to be instructed but instead, we want the shortcuts to our destination. But truth be told, as long as you are here on earth, there will always be some area in your life where you are less conversant with, and therefore you will need INSTRUCTIONS. So the question still goes out to you. ARE YOU BEEN INSTRUCTED?

If you are a Christian, then you ought to know this. The Bible is GOD’S BOOK OF INSTRUCTIONS. But why do we need instructions? Of what good are instructions for the believer? First of all, let’s have a look at a book in the Bible which specializes as a manual of instructions for the children of Israel. After 400 years in slavery, and 40 years in the desert, God gave the children of Israel instructions from the book of LEVITICUS on how they should live and conduct their daily life affairs.

From the book of Leviticus we have the RULES OF LIVING which range from worship, the office of priesthood, sexual relationships, food laws, feasts unto the Lord among others. It was the mandatory obligation of the head of the family, that is, the father to instruct their children about these rules of living at every turn of the corner.

WARNING: SHE COMES WITH FAVOR

Proverbs 18:22 He who finds a wife finds a GOOD THING and receives FAVOR FROM THE LORD.

I guess every country has its own traditions when it comes to the wedding cards. But back at home, in Kenya, my native country, we have this expectation that on the wedding card there is always a scripture verse chosen by the couple to-be, as their wedding motto. Of the many wedding cards I have come across, I did notice that many couples chose the above scripture for their new marriage covenant. And for many reasons than not, I DO LOVE THIS SCRIPTURE VERSE. For one, it is a scripture more husband-directed than wife. Secondly, its a scripture that comes with two sure declarations from the Lord: A GOOD THING AND FAVOR.

A wife is a GOOD THING….because she is a gift from God to man.

Genesis 2:18 The Lord God said, “It is NOT GOOD for man to be alone. I will make a HELPER suitable for him.”

A wife is GOOD THING….because she came from man.

Genesis 2:22 Then the Lord God made woman from the rib he had taken OUT OF THE MAN, and he brought her to the man.

…BUT THOSE WHO KNEW JESUS…

Luke 23:48-49 When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what took place, they beat their breasts and WENT AWAY. But all those who KNEW him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, STOOD at a distance, watching these things.

It was on Good Friday that I first came across the above scripture. And it been the day of remembrance of Our Lord Jesus’ death, I had even thought about writing my thoughts from this scripture verses…but somewhat, I found another topic to write about. However, I told myself that sometime in the coming week, I would write from the above verses. Little did I know that it was the Lord who had restrained me until the proper time.

You see, the first thing that I notice which made me cry when I read the above scripture, was that even though many people who had gathered at Calvary had witnessed the events that surrounded Jesus until his death, many of them never STOPPED nor PAUSED to reflect on what had happened. For them, it was something unusual…but not strong or captivating enough to hold them back from the NEXT adventure in their lives.