SHATTERED DREAMS: DEALING WITH DISAPPOINTMENT

2 Samuel 12:19-20 David noticed that his servants were whispering among themselves and he realised that the child was dead. “Is the child dead?” he asked. “Yes,” they replied, ‘HE IS DEAD.” Then David got up from the ground. After he has washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the Lord and WORSHIPPED. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they served him food, and he ate.

SHATTERED DREAMS: How do you deal with the disappointment? Truth be told. There is no easy way to deal with the disappointment of broken dreams? But there is always a way…THE WAY! Every time I go back to read about David’s encounter in 2 Samuel 12, my heart is deeply stirred. Why? Because I see an attitude which is so rare today…yet is badly needed especially when all hope seems lost! Let me give you a little background on King David’s encounter. We all know about David’s extramarital affair with Bathsheba, Uriah’s wife. A baby is conceived…and a husband who has no idea about it…gets killed on the front-line to cover up for the King’s sin. But God cannot be mocked. He sends Nathan the Prophet to David…and uncovers his sin…and with it, the consequences which includes the death of that child conceived in an act of adultery. Of course, it would have been worse. But God spared King David’s life in exchange for his baby’s.

For seven full days and nights…David touched no food as He PLEADS with God to spare his son’s life to no avail. His whole household is also deeply affected by the unfolding events in the King’s house. On the seventh day, his child dies.

A CALL FOR WISDOM AND UNDERSTANDING

Daniel 12:10 Many will be purified, made spotless and refined, but the wicked will continue to be wicked. None of the wicked will understand, but those who are WISE WILL UNDERSTAND.

We are living in the last days. Let me say it again. WE ARE LIVING IN THE LAST DAYS. But let me stop at this. I am continually surprised at the foolishness of the intelligent….yes, of the intellectually intelligent! The one who has the ability to forecast almost about everything EXTERNAL, yet has no slightest clue about the forecast of the INTERNAL. Then there comes a time where the explanation of the external cannot bring relieve to the need of the internal. I saw it last week in my country, Poland. People reaching out for answers after the presidential plane crash. But instead of finding relief, I saw the multiplying of questions which seemed to lack any conclusive answers.

But now more than ever, I see a deep truth from the book of Daniel

But you, Daniel, close up and seal the words of the scroll until the TIME OF THE END. MANY WILL GO HERE AND THERE TO INCREASE KNOWLEDGE. Daniel 12:4

Instead of reaching out for WISDOM AND UNDERSTANDING, I see people reaching out for

…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.

POLAND: GOD’S WAY IS PERFECT

Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4 There is a TIME for everything, and a season for every activity under the heaven:
a time to WEEP and a time to laugh, a time to MOURN and a time to dance,..

My country, POLAND is WEEPING. We are in the season of MOURNING!

The tragedy that hit our country on Saturday has not left anyone indifferent. Why because suddenly, our lives were put on hold…as we remembered, contemplated, reflected and reviewed what was but now wasn’t. I don’t remember ever experiencing such kind of emotions at any given time in my entire life. All at once, as the faces of familiar people in Politics, the financial world, entertainment and public services passed through the TV screen, my heart refused to take all these facts in. It wasn’t only about the loss of our president and his dear wife, but the loss of active members of parliament and senators, all the heads of the country’s defence system, the governor of the Central bank, the governor of the National Archive, the head of the Human Rights Organizations, all the ministers in the office of the president, an archbishop and a number of priest, two presidential candidatures from opposing parties, the president of the Olympic Committee, among others. In a sense, every important government institution was affected one way or another by this tragedy.

But beyond their public functions, these people were fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, relatives and friends of people among us. Yet….as I see the country ask so many questions which at most go unanswered, the Lord reminded me these words:

A NATIONAL TRAGEDY: PRAY FOR POLAND

I live in Poland…because I am married to a Pole. However, a couple of weeks ago, I became a Polish citizen and therefore, Poland is now my NEW COUNTRY. This morning, my country suffered a National tragedy. THE PRESIDENT OF POLAND ALONG WITH HIS WIFE and 87 other high ranking Polish ministers and government officers died in a tragic government plane crash in Russia.

Please PRAY FOR POLAND. For peace and understanding; For God’s hand to be on this country in this trying hour. For unity and brotherhood among all the people. And for the families and friends of those who lost loved one in the plane crash; for comfort and hope.

PRAY, PRAY, PRAY FOR POLAND, my country!

God bless you.

Gladwell Musau Kozak

A SIFTING AND A BETRAYAL

Luke 22:3 Then SATAN ENTERED Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve.
Luke 22:31 ‘Simon, Simon, SATAN HAS ASKED to sift you as wheat.

TWO MEN….Judas, the Iscariot and Simon Peter. Three years earlier, before Jesus entered the scene, they were just ordinary men. One was a fisherman at the shores of Galilee and the other, nothing much is said about him before then. But here there are,…three years on sitting with a man called Jesus of Nazareth…whom they have come to love, revere and have deep admiration for. Yes…here at the table of communion. The Lord’s heart is deeply troubled. Yes…because the time has come…THE TIME which His Father had been waiting for. To glorify His Son through a death…DEATH ON THE CROSS.

But while Jesus knows that His death is imminent, His heart is also deeply troubled by the fate of two men…men who had been part of His team. Men…who had shared bread at His dinner table, listened to His sermons and teachings, men who had witnessed great miracles. And yet…these two men, Judas, the Iscariot and Simon Peter has something else in common which the Lord knows about: SATAN’S PLANS WITH THEIR LIVES.

HIS DEATH: MY FREEDOM

Hebrews 2:14-15 Since the children have flesh and blood, he shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death_ that is, the devil_ and FREE THOSE WHO ALL THEIR LIVES WERE HELD IN SLAVERY BY THEIR FEAR OF DEATH.

Someone may ask you or me. Are you afraid of death? Personally, I will say, YES, I am afraid of death…or maybe I am afraid of the dying process. Yet…no matter what your answer is on this one…fact remains YOU AND I WILL SOMEDAY go through that process. Sorry, friend. Its INEVITABLE!
But, some years back, I read the above scripture and understood something deeper. We as Christians…know that death is not the end…but the beginning of LIFE…of LIFE ETERNAL. Nothing is lost for the believing person when death occurs. But despite that knowledge, we live still as if death has power over us.

I like that word in Hebrew 2. Knowing that Jesus came and died on the cross for my sins is one thing. But understand that through His death,

A BIRTHDAY AND AN ANNIVERSARY

Romans 12:15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.

A DAY….each day has a story of its own untold

TODAY is our daughter’s fourth birthday. Yes, she has been waiting for it like none other in the previous years. Of course, then she was too small to understand all the fuss and excitement that goes behind preparing for a birthday celebration. And just a week before her birthday, her mum starts feeling unwell… a bad bout of tonsils infection which needs a week plus to treat and sadly, my little girl’s birthday plans get disrupted. However, in the last minute, we come up with a rescue plan – Her birthday will still take place; her nursery school teacher agreed to host the party at school and she is happy.

TODAY is also Mary’s dad first death anniversary. Mary is one of my best friends from Kenya but now lives in the US. Losing her father was tough for her especially because she couldn’t make it to attend his funeral. A couple of years ago, I also lost my niece whom I never got to meet and my heart still aches for her. And in a sense, I can identify with Mary’s pain.

TODAY my heart is full…four full years of joyful yet challenging motherhood is something I can’t trade for the world. Today, too…my heart is empathetic and as I say a silent prayer for the Munyao’s family, I know God will keep them through another year.

Where is your heart TODAY? Remember, you can celebrate with those who are celebrating and mourn with those who are grieving.