His plans for you are good

At the end of every year, many people curate new year resolutions to guide their lives for the next one year. In this resolution are plans to ensure growth, sustainability and development. Although some people barely live up to their resolutions, it is still important that one has a plan for the year. Like many people, when we fail to achieve our plans, we tend to blame ourselves and push ourselves to do more for the coming year. When we fail to plan, we automatically plan to fail. Thus, it is important to make plans to excel in all we do. Do you have plans for this year, this month and this week? Are you on course? Do you have a backlog? What is your next course of action to ensure that you stay on course?

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ‭‭(Jeremiah 29:11)

God also has a plan for us. Yes, He does! He has the most perfect plans to prosper us, the most perfect plan to protect us from harm, the most perfect plan to give us hope and the most perfect plan for our future. These are captured in Jeremiah 29:11; “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” This statement was originally made to the Jews in exile in Babylon. These exiled Jews were hopeless and felt God had left them in the hands of their captors. Mind you, their exile was triggered by their own sins and unrepentant hearts. Yet, even in such an unpleasant circumstance,  God still had a plan for them. Imagine us who have received the redemption work of the Son of God and have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Saviour. God in his infinite love and mercy has made good plans for us.

Understanding who you are in Christ is the first step to enjoying all the good plans that have been made available for you. As Romans 8:17 put it, ‬‬”Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.” Our positional advantage in Christ has secured for us the good plan of God. We are heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ. Our prosperity,  our protection, our hope and our future are all in God’s plan for us. To better enjoy these goodies, we need to be aligned with God’s will for our lives. These are spelt out vividly in scripture. We can’t have it our own ways and still expect God’s plan to work for us. It is not possible. We are so much-loved but it is our responsibility to obey God’s words. His plan is embedded in His word.

He is a Prophet

Moses the prophet whom God used to redeem the people of Israel from slavery in Egypt was a man of exceptional qualities. He was born at a time when Hebrew or Jewish new born baby boys were supposed to be drowned in the Nile River. However, he escaped miraculously and grew up as the Prince of Egypt. Similar to Moses, as a young child, Jesus faced a decree that took the lives of many young innocent children but God through His angels delivered Jesus and He was hidden in Egypt until the evil Herod died. The people God uses are not without challenges. Like many of us, they face their own share of life’s daily challenges,  yet, they rise above all these challenges and with the help of God, they become men and women of honour. As Moses fled Egypt, he departed as a fearful prince who had committed murder. However, he returned as a prophet of God empowered to bring deliverance to God’s people.

The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him. ‭‭(Deuteronomy‬ ‭18:15‬)

The ministry of Moses is highly influential in the history of Israel. Till date, when the books of Moses are read in Jewish communities,  the reaction is that of honour and reverence. This is definitely so because God’s presence with Moses was so great that God spoke with him face to face, clearly and not in riddles; he saw the form of the Lord (Numbers 12:8). Moses received the commandments of God and handed them over to the Israelites. By the time Moses died, the disorganized people he brought out to Egypt were a nation ready to possess the lands God had given to them. At one point in time, after an encounter with the Lord, Moses’ face was so radiant that he had to put a veil on his face (Exodus 34:35). This was how God’s power was mightily demonstrated through Moses.

One might conclude that Moses was the most powerful prophet ever lived. Yet, Moses himself was aware that after him will come another prophet. Before Moses died, he told the people this: “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him.” ‭‭(Deuteronomy‬ ‭18:15‬). This prophecy found its fulfillment in the birth of Jesus. The author of Hebrews mentioned that “Jesus has been found worthy of greater honour than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honour than the house itself.” (Hebrews 3:3). He continued that, “Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s house, bearing witness to what would be spoken by God in the future. But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are his house, if indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory.” (Hebrews 3:5-6).

The helpless baby in the Manger was also a prophet of God. He spoke the mind of God and told the people what to expect in the future. Jesus’ words were so powerful that the people listening to Him confirmed that; “He taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.‭‭” (Matthew‬ ‭7:29‬). Jesus knew exactly what will happen to Him and His followers in the future. As a prophet,  He prepared His disciples to know the times and the seasons. As we celebrate Christmas, we shouldn’t take this for granted; the baby in the Manger was no ordinary child. As helpless as He was in the Manger, He was Saviour of the world, the Son of God, the one who paid off humanity’s sins. Our prophet knows our past, our present and our future. Let’s open up to Him and allow Him to speak the words of life unto us.

Ruth: The wife of Boaz and the mother of Obed

Ruth experienced a roller-coaster experience in Moab. She moved from a young and happy married woman to a young and poor widow. If her hopes were in her husband alone, her hopes would have been shattered. The only comfort around her were other widows (mother-in-law and sister-in-law) who were also in grief. Life indeed gave Ruth lemons. Instead of sulking about how sour the lemons were, Ruth made for herself a lemonade. She did not settle at the widowhood stage. She knew that life in Moab wouldn’t be easy either. Ruth challenged herself and moved to Bethlehem with Naomi. She knew that being a stranger in a foreign land comes with its own challenges. But, she was determined to brace Bethlehem and allow the God of Naomi  to fix her broken pieces.  

Sometimes, the only way to step into your destined future is to have faith in God. Faith without deed according to James (2: 20) is dead. Ruth took a step of faith when she followed Naomi to Bethlehem. Her relocation was very instrumental. While she remained a widow in Moab, she was of no use to the guardian-redeemer. However, when she moved to Bethlehem, she met her destiny helpers. In the previous post, we saw that Boaz promised Ruth that he wouldn’t relax until the matter of her redemption is settled. True to his words, Boaz met the closest guardian-redeemer at the town gate. Witnessed by the elders of the town, Boaz laid before them the case of Naomi and Ruth’s redemption. Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the land from Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the Moabite, the dead man’s widow, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property.” At this, the guardian-redeemer said, “Then I cannot redeem it because I might endanger my own estate. You redeem it yourself. I cannot do it.” (Ruth 4:5‭-‬6).

So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When he made love to her, the Lord enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son.  (Ruth 4:13)

Boaz, being the next guardian-redeemer, took charge. He announced to the elders and all the people, “Today you are witnesses that I have bought from Naomi all the property of Elimelek, Kilion and Mahlon. I have also acquired Ruth the Moabite, Mahlon’s widow, as my wife, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property, so that his name will not disappear from among his family or from his hometown. Today you are witnesses!” (Ruth 4:9‭-‬10). Thus Ruth and Naomi came under the authority and care of Boaz. “So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When he made love to her, the Lord enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son.” (Ruth 4:13). 

Ruth gained a home, a husband and a son. She received double for all her troubles. Many sons were born during the same period but the son of Ruth was different. He was no ordinary baby. “The women living there said, “Naomi has a son!” And they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.” (Ruth 4:17). The son of Ruth was the grandfather of king David. Jesus Christ was a descendant of king David. 
“This, then, is the family line of Perez: Perez was the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, Ram the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, Salmon the father of Boaz, Boaz the father of Obed, Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David.” (Ruth 4:18‭-‬22)

The blind beggar at the roadside of Jericho couldn’t see but his spirit could transcend to the ancestry of Jesus. “He called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”(Luke 18:38). Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” “Lord, I want to see,” he replied. Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God. (Luke 18:41‭-‬43). 

Naomi saw bitterness but Ruth saw a future and a hope. What you see determines how far you can go. Look beyond your pain, loss, grief and illnesses and see the good future the Lord has for you. Take a step of faith and move into your newness. Don’t stay longer in the Moab of your life, move to Bethlehem, that is where pleasantness is found. May God restore unto us a double blessing for all that we have lost.  Ephphatha…we can see victory in Bethlehem!

Trust in His words

Do you find it difficult to trust what others say? Have you been disappointed a couple of times by people? A few years ago, someone promised to help my father with something. The person could not honour his words and my father had to have a second plan in action. Till date, my father talks about how that person’s words almost cost him. As humans,  we can do as much as our strength,  resources and influence can get. To go beyond our purview and do things that are out of our reach, demands that we have a superior power or someone at the top who can influence situations. If I tell you that I will give you a few bucks, maybe 100, you will believe me. However, if I tell you that I will give you a billion dollars, you might want to end the conversation because you do not know me as a possessor of billions. At least, my name will be somewhere among the league of rich people in the world. 

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. (John 14:1)

When we consider the limitations of humans, we might find it difficult to trust anyone who does not have power, resources and influence. In the Bible, Jesus comforts His disciples because He was about to go to the cross. He knew that after spending three years with them and the disciples had experienced the power and influence of Jesus, it would be quite sad if He should leave them alone. Jesus admonished them, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” (John 14:1‭-‬4)

The disciples had to trust the words of Jesus. They had experienced Him on earth and they were comforted that Jesus was going to prepare a place for them. Indeed, even before Jesus died, their hearts were troubled. Most of the disciples ran away, Peter denied Him, Judas Iscariot betrayed Him and Thomas did not want to believe that Jesus had resurrected. Thankfully, with the exception of Judas Iscariot, the other disciples were restored and they began the church which is now the biggest movement in the world. In case you are finding it difficult to trust in the word of God, thus is an encouragement to you: 
“God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill? (Numbers 23:19)
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8)
“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” (James 1:17)

We should make a conscious effort to trust in the words of God. Yes, His words will surely be fulfilled. Trust in His words!