An answered prayer: Rebekah is going to have babies

Eliezer’s journey was successful. Rebekah gladly followed him to become the wife of Isaac. As they approached Isaac’s home, “Rebekah also looked up and saw Isaac. She got down from her camel and asked the servant, “Who is that man in the field coming to meet us?” “He is my master,” the servant answered. So she took her veil and covered herself. Then the servant told Isaac all he had done. Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah, and he married Rebekah. So she became his wife, and he loved her; and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.” (Genesis 24:64‭-‬67). Rebekah’s presence took away the pain that the death of Sarah brought on Isaac. She comforted him and he loved her. But Rebekah had an issue. The same issue Sarah had and battled with it for years. Rebekah was childless. It might have been quite frustrating for the new couple as they had to revisit pain of the past. However, this time, the approach to resolving the issue was different. 

Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was childless. The Lord answered his prayer, and his wife Rebekah became pregnant. (Genesis 25:21)

Sarah’s resolution was to have Hagar to have a baby with Abraham. The implications were not so desirable. Isaac and Rebekah had a better approach. They prayed! Genesis 25:21 states that “Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was childless. The Lord answered his prayer, and his wife Rebekah became pregnant.” Such a joy! It was not a straightforward pregnancy. Rebekah had the most unlikely situation in her womb, “the babies jostled each other within her, and she said, “Why is this happening to me?” So she went to inquire of the Lord. The Lord said to her, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.” (Genesis 25:22‭-‬23). Rebekah’s pregnancy was no ordinary pregnancy. She was carrying two nations who will ultimately separate. How did Rebekah deal with this news? Was Isaac aware of the fact that they were going to have two separate nations in the house? As ridiculous as it sounds, Rebekah’s womb was the practice grounds for the rivalry. Right there, the babies refused to cooperate.

Rebekah’s delivery was no ordinary one. “When the time came for her to give birth, there were twin boys in her womb. The first to come out was red, and his whole body was like a hairy garment; so they named him Esau. After this, his brother came out, with his hand grasping Esau’s heel; so he was named Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when Rebekah gave birth to them. (Genesis 25:24‭-‬26). Remember that Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah (Genesis 25:20). Thus, the couple waited for twenty years until Esau and Jacob were born. Rebekah might have been so happy to become a mother. As she looked into the faces of her sons, she also knew that, in the future, she would see two rival nations out of her sons. Rebekah was aware that Esau (the older) would serve Jacob (the younger). As they remained babies, she might have relished every moment spent with them. But deep in her heart, she knew that the future would be a bit messy. Rivalry and hatred might erupt and this would possibly lead to separation. 

What do you do when faced with a future with uncertainty? Whenever we are faced with uncertainty,  we should go back to God and He will show us the way forward. 

Rebekah: I will go!

Most young Christian couples relish their courtship period. They have fond memories of the interesting things they learnt together; the opportunities to know each other, attending Premarital counseling and learning from the counselors etc. For most people, the courtship period helped them to learn valuable lessons to prepare them for marriage. Can you imagine a marriage where the bride and the groom only met each other after the families have concluded the whole marriage process? It might sound odd to some people, but this practice is not new to many cultures around the world. In our previous post, Abraham’s servant had prayed for a sign from God to know the right woman for Isaac. God answered him speedily and Rebekah proved that she was the right choice for Isaac. Now, how will both Rebekah and Isaac deal with the issue of an arranged marriage? Will Rebekah follow these strangers to marry Isaac? Will Rebekah’s family release her to Abraham’s servant? 

So they called Rebekah and asked her, “Will you go with this man?” “I will go,” she said. (Genesis 24:58)

Rebekah had proven beyond any reasonable doubts that she was the wife for Isaac. She was not just an answer to prayer, she was homely, willing to serve and also ready to take the servant to meet her family. Eliezer, Abraham’s servant, wasted no time in telling Rebekah’s family about his mission. Rebekah’s brother and her father were certain that this was the hand of God. “Laban and Bethuel answered, “This is from the Lord; we can say nothing to you one way or the other. Here is Rebekah; take her and go, and let her become the wife of your master’s son, as the Lord has directed” (Genesis 24:50‭-‬51). What a joy for Eliezer and his team. Their journey has been fruitful. After Abraham’s envoy had done the needful rites by giving gifts to the appropriate parties, they celebrated their victory. “Then he (Eliezer) and the men who were with him ate and drank and spent the night there. When they got up the next morning, he said, “Send me on my way to my master.” But her brother and her mother replied, “Let the young woman remain with us ten days or so; then you may go.” But he said to them, “Do not detain me, now that the Lord has granted success to my journey. Send me on my way so I may go to my master.” Then they said, “Let’s call the young woman and ask her about it.” So they called Rebekah and asked her, “Will you go with this man?” “I will go,” she said. (Genesis 24:54‭-‬58).

Rebekah’s decision to go with Abraham’s servant was the tie breaker. She was certain of her choice.  She had no doubt that she had made the right choice and she was not worried or scared to go at  once and be with her husband. Rebekah was ready and willing.  She was prepared emotionally and physically. Her marriage happened suddenly but she was so sure that she was willing to leave her parents’ home just the following day. Making life-changing decisions like this requires an amount of faith, determination and preparedness. When Rebekah said, “I will go”, she literally confirmed her willingness and readiness for marriage and her acceptance of Isaac as her husband. Rebekah’s decision did not relocate her from her father’s house to her husband’s house, it ultimately changed her story and she became part of God’s bigger story. In the future, her descendents will be used by God to return humanity to Himself. The loss of Eden and the restoration back to God continued through the descendants of Rebekah. 

“I will go” sounds so easy to say but it comes with the readiness to embrace the unknown future and accept God’s will for your life. Like the marital vows, “I will” changes the single man and woman to a married couple with a one flesh mentality. “I will (go)” does not automatically remove all the barriers. In fact, when crossing the waters with your partner, it is still “I will go”; when in the valleys of life, or the plains of life, or the mountains of life, the charge remains the same, “I will go.” God did not promise Rebekah that the journey would be easy because she was ready and willing. But as we will see in our subsequent post, through the high and low moments, God still proved Himself faithful. Rebekah was never alone!

Rebekah: A speedy answer to prayers

Have you ever experienced a fast answer to prayer? How was your reaction? In our previous posts we saw Sarah whose desire to have a child lingered for years even though God had promised her a child. The child was born at God’s appointed time. The delay was not a pleasant experience and Sarah became impatient in waiting. Until you find yourself in a difficult situation, you might be the first to accuse Sarah of impatience. But if you go through a similar situation and stay till the end, then you are a real warrior. Isaac was old enough to marry but Abraham didn’t want his son to marry among the Canaanites. He told Eliezer, his senior servant, “I want you to swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am living, but will go to my country and my own relatives and get a wife for my son Isaac.” (Genesis 24:3‭-‬4). How is that possible? Eliezer had lived with Abraham and understood that God’s hand is with his master. He had learned from experience that his master Abraham had a special covenant with God. Eliezer had encountered how God miraculously blessed his master with Isaac. With this knowledge, even though the current task looked daunting,  Eliezer was certain that the God of his master would give him victory. 

Before he had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milkah, who was the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor. (Genesis 24:15)

As Eliezer and his entourage got to the city of Nahor he prayed, “Lord, God of my master Abraham, make me successful today, and show kindness to my master Abraham. See, I am standing beside this spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water. May it be that when I say to a young woman, ‘Please let down your jar that I may have a drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink, and I’ll water your camels too’—let her be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master.” (Genesis 24:12‭-‬14). Eliezer’s faith was based on what he had experienced through Abraham. “Before he had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milkah, who was the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor. The woman was very beautiful, a virgin; no man had ever slept with her. She went down to the spring, filled her jar and came up again. The servant hurried to meet her and said, “Please give me a little water from your jar.” “Drink, my Lord,” she said, and quickly lowered the jar to her hands and gave him a drink. After she had given him a drink, she said, “I’ll draw water for your camels too, until they have had enough to drink.” (Genesis 24:15‭-‬19). Indeed Eliezer received rocket speed response to his prayers. 

Rebekah was no ordinary woman. She was very beautiful, a virgin and a hard working young woman. A typical camel can drink at least 20 gallons of water at a time. Eliezer and his entourage had 10 camels and Rebekah gave them water until they had had enough. In simple mathematics,  Rebekah might have fetched water worth about 200 gallons for the camels. Fetching the water from the well to the feeding troughs for the camels to drink was a whole work. Rebekah gladly did it without complaining. In fact, she volunteered  her services willingly. Rebekah was not just beautiful, but she was strong, determined and willing to go the extra mile. If Isaac needed a wife, certainly Rebekah is the perfect match. Eliezer was stunned and “without saying a word, the man watched her closely to learn whether or not the Lord had made his journey successful. When the camels had finished drinking, the man took out a gold nose ring weighing a beka and two gold bracelets weighing ten shekels. Then he asked, “Whose daughter are you? Please tell me, is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night?” She answered him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son that Milkah bore to Nahor.” And she added, “We have plenty of straw and fodder, as well as room for you to spend the night.” (Genesis 24:21‭-‬25).

Eliezer must have been super excited. God led him to the right person. Rebekah was homely, she informed Eliezer that  we have straw and fodder for your camels and a place for you to sleep. Her kindness, goodness and determination to help was outstanding. Rebekah was an answer to a prayer and she demonstrated her readiness with her character. God wants the best for His children. If you want God to bless you with His very best, be ready like Rebekah to go the extra mile in service. The answer to your prayers might be your willingness to go the extra mile. 

Sarah is my sister: The second lie

From the previous posts, we identified that Sarah’s redemption was near. She had received the promise to have a son in the next year. Such exciting news! She might have started taking care of herself and preparing physically and emotionally for the arrival of her promised child. The joy might have been contagious. Sarah’s time was up for her manifestation. The 90 year old woman was going to have a child of her own. Her days would have been filled with gratitude and worship. She would have practically changed from being a sad woman to a happy contented woman full of joy and life. She would have looked her best and her intimate life with Abraham would have been revamped. You could possibly hear the joy in her voice and her actions would have been full of grace and positive vibes. Sarah and Abraham moved to a new location and let’s see what happened.

and there Abraham said of his wife Sarah, “She is my sister.” Then Abimelek king of Gerar sent for Sarah and took her. (Genesis 20:2)

“Now Abraham moved on from there into the region of the Negev and lived between Kadesh and Shur. For a while he stayed in Gerar, and there Abraham said of his wife Sarah, “She is my sister.” Then Abimelek king of Gerar sent for Sarah and took her.” (Genesis 20:1‭-‬2). I have read this scripture over and over again and every time, I had to stop and go back to Genesis 12. Was that not the same lie Abraham told Pharaoh that almost cost him his wife? Why did he lie again? Sarah might be related to him but in those two instances, the best description of Sarah’s role is a wife not a sister. Abraham tried to defend his actions to Abimelek, king of Gerar: “Besides, she really is my sister, the daughter of my father though not of my mother; and she became my wife. And when God had me wander from my father’s household, I said to her, ‘This is how you can show your love to me: Everywhere we go, say of me, “He is my brother.” (Genesis 20:12‭-‬13)

But wait, was Sarah not 90 years old? Understanding the physical beauty of Sarah still blows my mind. She lived in an age where physical enhancements with surgeries were not available yet she looked so beautiful and presentable that even at 90 years, she still had royal admirers. What a natural beauty! God once again saved the situation: “But God came to Abimelek in a dream one night and said to him, “You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken; she is a married woman.” Now Abimelek had not gone near her, so he said, “Lord, will you destroy an innocent nation? Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know you did this with a clear conscience, and so I have kept you from sinning against me. That is why I did not let you touch her. Now return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not return her, you may be sure that you and all who belong to you will die.”(Genesis 20:3‭-‬4‭, ‬6‭-‬7). Sarah, the woman in expectation, had to succumb to a family lie to save her husband. 

God does not condone liars. No matter how matured you are in the things of God, He expects you to live truthfully. Abraham was a friend of God but when he and Sarah lied, God did not overlook it. He came down to fix the situation. The Bible is specific on the punishment for all liars: Revelations 21: 8-10 identify the lake of fire as their final destination. 
Sarah was very close to her heart’s desire. That lie could have rid her of her joy. When it is quarter to your breakthrough be on your guard so the enemy does not use lies and tricks to make you miss your opportunities.

Sarah will have a son about this time next year!

I have no doubt that God has a sense of very good humour. Some of the events in the Bible make me laugh so hard. God’s way of navigating difficult circumstances is different from our ways. He takes the foolish things of the world to confound the wise (1 Corinthians 1:27). He called Abraham and promised to make him a great nation. The promise was repeated in every covenant renewal, yet Abraham remained childless until the birth of Ishmael. What was God waiting for? Why did He wait for so long? What was delaying Him? I don’t have answers to these questions but what I know is that God indeed fulfilled His promise. Sarah had gone through a circle of reformation. Her name which signifies her identity was changed to show the kind of blessing she would be to the world. Shortly after the covenant that changed the names of Abraham and Sarah, the couple received angelic visitation. Three men were on their way to destroy Sodom, Gomorrah and the cities in the valley for their sins. Abraham and Sarah demonstrated hospitality to the three men. Genesis 18:6 states that “Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah. “Quick,” he said, “get three seahs of the finest flour and knead it and bake some bread.”

Then one of them said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.” Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him. (Genesis 18:10) 

Abraham brought some curds and milk and the calf that had been prepared, and set these before them. While they ate, he stood near them under a tree. “Where is your wife Sarah?” they asked him. “There, in the tent,” he said. Then one of them said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.” Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him. (Genesis 18:8‭-‬10). Sarah heard the conversation and laughed to herself as she thought, “After I am worn out and my Lord is old, will I now have this pleasure?” (Genesis 18:12). Why did Sarah laugh? Has she not waited for long? Remember Sarah was almost 90 years of age and naturally, it seemed impossible to become pregnant at such an age. Sarah laughed because it would have been super funny to the people to see a 90 year old pregnant woman. I am just imagining my grandmother getting pregnant at 90 years. Of course in our day, science is able to make it happen but naturally, the woman’s biological clock does not permit the natural conception at 90 years. God indeed has a good sense of humour. No wonder the child was named Isaac (he will laugh, laugher).

God’s perfect will does not depend on our physical state, emotional state, financial state or community acceptance. God does not discriminate against age and when His time is right, He will surely perfect all that concerns us. For Sarah, the journey to motherhood was very long and at the time she finally became a mother, her age mates were either grandparents or great grandparents. However, none of them made history. We don’t even know them. Whether her age mates had more children than Sarah doesn’t even matter. Sarah was destined to have just one child, the child whose lineage will connect the missing pieces of Eve’s story in defeating and crushing the serpent (Genesis 3:15). Others had taken the lead, they were blessed but Sarah, is a pillar of blessing. Those who had gone ahead of her still needed to reconnect to Sarah to receive the blessings of God. 

Maybe, like Sarah, you have waited for so long that you are at the verge of giving up. Don’t give up on God. Your ‘Isaac’ is on the way. The same society that ridiculed you will laugh with you and celebrate God for your blessings. 

Sarah: The mother of nations

The life of Sarai (later known as Sarah) teaches important nuggets of life. We have identified her issue with childbearing, relocating to new places, conniving with he husband to lie so her husband could spared, bringing in Hagar to fix her childlessness, the maltreatment of Hagar because of Hagar’s change in attitude and now Ishmael, Hagar’s son has been born. Is God done with Sarai? No! Her story is yet to take another shape. God had a plan and in all those years, Sarai had been waiting until she could wait no longer. She also introduced her plan which seemed to fix the situation but ultimately was not the best plan. Alternative plans are good but whenever we make an alternative plan, we should consider how that aligns with God’s ultimate plan for us. Hagar was a good alternative but she was not the perfect plan of God for the couple. God’s permissive will is different from God’s perfect will. Indeed the child Ishmael will forever enjoy the blessings of Abram but God’s covenant was not with him.

God also said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah. I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her.” (Genesis 17:15‭-‬16)

God reiterated His covenant with the couple in Genesis 17:1-2. “When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless. Then I will make my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.” God changed the names of Abram and Sarai and gave them new names reflecting the blessings of the covenant. God said, “As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you.” God also said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah. I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her.” (Genesis 17:4‭-‬6‭, ‬15‭-‬16). Sarai became Sarah, meaning the mother of nations and Abram became Abraham, meaning the father of nations.

Sarah’s new name reflects her identity in the Lord. She was called as a mother not to just a single person but to nations. This implies that nations will rise from Sarah’s lineage. How is that even possible? Abraham could possibly have a child but Sarah was too old according to the physical state of a woman. She was past the stage of childbearing. She had advanced menopause and nothing in her physical appearance could facilitate the making of a baby. Abraham was even shocked that Sarah will have a child. “Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself, “Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?” Then God said, “Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him. But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you by this time next year.” (Genesis 17:17‭, ‬19‭, ‬21)

The lesson from these passages is that when the time is right, God will surely make it happen. Abraham laughed at the possibility of both him and Sarah becoming parents but with God, all things are possible. As angel Gabriel told Mary, the mother of Jesus, “For no word from God will ever fail” ( Luke 1:37). Waiting is the most difficult thing for most of us. However, we could wait and operate in God’s perfect will or go ahead of God and operate in His permissive will. While we wait for our breakthroughs, we should be intentional about what we do. We should equip ourselves with valuable tools and resources needed to survive throughout the waiting period. If you see God coming through for others, know that He is in the neighbourhood and He will surely come through for you. The miracle He has for you will change your name and identity. Sarai became Sarah (mother of nations). Your time for visitation is near, be patient and ready for your next move. Oh, I am excited already!

Trust Him to return

There are countless promises I have made to my nephews. Anytime we speak on the phone, I promise to visit them but it has been quite some time since I last visited. I am sure they don’t trust my visitation promises anymore. There are many people who don’t keep to their words. When they tell you to look up, they will be busily minding their businesses down without consideration for your neck! You can look up until you hurt your neck but they don’t care. Others have become professional liars and every word from their mouth needs to be passed through a litmus test. They have a lie to cover every lie and have built a hedge of falsity around them. Still, some people are so sincere and trustworthy that they are committed to ensuring that every promise they make is fulfilled. If you do not have a trusted companion, you are in a big dilemma!

He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.(Revelation 22:20)

A lot of people have been through so much that it is very common to hear people comment that they have trust issues. If you have experienced at first hand how it feels to be disappointed by those you trusted, you will take every word with a pinch of salt. However, we don’t stop trusting because others have failed us. Throughout this month, we have considered different biblical examples of trusting in God. Do check the previous posts. We have identified that God is trustworthy and He watches over His word to fulfill it (Jeremiah 1:12). As we consider this, I want to remind you of Parousia. Jesus is coming again and He said it on several occasions while He was on earth. He also told the Apostle John in the Revelation to the churches. He said in Revelation 22:20 that “Yes, I am coming soon” and He will return. It doesn’t matter how long it takes.

When we understand that the Parousia is going to happen, we prepare ourselves each day in anticipation. As we wait, we should get ourselves ready at all times. We should prepare spiritually, emotionally and physically. We should also be willing to share the love of God with others. How can others trust in His return if we don’t let them know? We should be driven by compassion and love for humanity. We should not be ashamed of our faith and be willing to share whenever there is an opportunity. My colleagues from other religious beliefs are identified by their appearance and dressing. They are never shy of their faith. But most of my Christian colleagues are silent about their faith because they don’t want to hurt others. I have never been hurt because others of different faiths publicly practice their faith. Why should others be hurt at lunch time because I prayed over my food? We might live in an ever changing world but that does not change who we are! Jesus is coming soon. Yes! Trust Him to return and be ready to meet your Lord.

Trust Him for an abundant catch

Sometimes we work with all our might and passion but the result is little or none. Most people have experienced struggles in getting results for a project they have worked on for a long time. I have experienced this at first hand and I know how it feels when your hard work does not seem to pay off. We could be so much engaged in our work and be committed to it such that when it does not yield result, we are left with no choice but to give up. Even the best workers in their field do sometimes experience a state of dryness. What do you do when your best efforts do not yield good results? Do you give up? Do you quit? Do you pack and move to another project? Seemingly failed situations could also be a season of turn around if a sudden turn of event happens. Imagine when the best fishermen go to the sea and fish all night and not a single fish is caught. Did all the fish leave the sea? Were the fishermen operating with a torn net? Did the sea suddenly swallow all the fish that not a single fish remained in the water? Unbelievable right? But most of us have had seasons where our hard work has yielded little or no result. 

When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” (Luke 5:4)

If this sounds familiar to you, then know that you are not alone. The good news is there is someone who can cause a turnaround of events. The miracle of the great catch of fish appears twice in different scenes in the New Testament. Today, we shall focus on the catch that led to the call of Simon Peter, Andrew, James and John. These men were expert fishermen and the sea had been their office until Jesus called them to follow Him. On that particular day, Simon Peter had given Jesus the opportunity to minister to the people using his boat. After the successful sermon, Jesus told Simon Peter in Luke 5:4 to “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” Peter the expert fisherman received fishing instructions from the expert carpenter. Peter could have ignored and packed his nets to go back home. But he listened to Jesus and fished on the Master’s word. Simon acknowledged that, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” (Luke 5:4-5). When we fish on the Master’s word, the result is enormous! My popular depiction of this event is the rendition from The Chosen season 1.

Simon Peter  and Andrew trusted Jesus enough to cast their net again for a catch. Then the miracle happened! Luke 5: 4-7 records that “When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.” Whenever we come to our lowest point, we should not stay there. We can give up on our dreams and call it over, or we can give in to our faith and let Him take charge. Many times, we lose focus of what really matters. We get so distracted by what we cannot do to the neglect of what He can do. We can live with an expectation to excel in everything, or we can give chance the opportunity to run our life. Remember, the sea can refuse to give fish all night long but if you hand over your boat to the Master, with just a single launch, you will catch abundant fish that will overwhelm you. Simon Peter and his colleagues had a rough night but at the end of the day, they pulled their boats up on the shore, left everything and followed the Master to fish for people.

Until you trust Him enough to relaunch your net into the deep, you will not experience the miracle of abundance. Once you pack your net and go back home, you have missed an opportunity to witness a miracle. 

Trust Him to calm the storm

My first ever trip on the sea was an excursion on the sea with a very large ship. That was in 2002. The experience was just so great. We experienced slight turbulence while on sea and some of my friends got so sick on board. The next experience was about 2 years later in 2004 at the same port and in a similar ship. Again, the experience was both good and bad. Ten years later (2014), I traveled on sea from Norway to Denmark and from Denmark back to Norway. It was a huge ship and there were more than 400 students on board. To be frank, I enjoyed the scenery and the journey until we experienced turbulence at night. Oh my! It was not a pleasant experience at all. I wondered how seafarers and fishermen survive in deep waters. They certainly deserve to be recognized. At one point myself and my roommates were all scared as the ship tilted sideways. Anyway, we made it and apparently that is normal to traveling on sea. Ah well, I hope to try again!

He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. (Matthew 8:26)

If my experience on a big vessel was unpleasant, imagine fishing with a boat in the  1st Century and experiencing turbulence. In Matthew 8:23-26 (also recorded in Mark and Luke’s gospel), Jesus “got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.” How could Jesus sleep on a cushion (according to Mark’s account) in that furious storm? The peace He had and the assurance that He would arrive at the other end was amazing. The disciples thought they would drown. How could they not have known? They were in the same boat with Jesus and still were scared for their lives. Thankfully, the winds and the waves heard the voice of the Lord and calmed down. 

I would have been flabbergasted! Imagine someone commanding the winds and the waves to calm down during my return trip from Denmark to Norway. The disciples were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!” (Matthew 8:27). In life, we face different kinds of storms each day. Sometimes, events in our lives feel like a horrendous storm about to break. Nothing seems to work and all our efforts prove futile. We feel like we’re trapped in a cage of nothingness and yet, we are unable to come out. The good news is, we have the Master over storms and ferocious situations as our Lord. He only comes when invited. Remember, He was sleeping when the tempest was roaring. He stilled the waves and the winds only when He was called. If you have not called Him yet, it is not too late. He is ready to come and calm every storm that is giving your life instability and tossing you back and forth. By His words, the storm will be stilled. Mark’s account (Mark 4:39) states that, “He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.” What manner of man commands the winds and the waves? Invite Him today and let him bring stillness to your raging storms. Trust in the Lord!

Trust Him to satisfy your hunger

Have you ever felt so hungry and tired from a long journey? What did you do? In the West, not many people have first hand experience of real hunger. Thankfully, governments in most developed countries have placed measures in place for people to have access to benefits even when they are unemployed. This is not so in many developing countries. Basically, everyone is on their own and hunger has caused some people to do things that have landed them in prison. 
But what will you do if you follow a popular person/ an influencer for hours and days and as a result become hungry and tired? You will likely expect to be fed by the organizers of the event if such arrangements were made. If not, you are on your own! Over 5000 men besides women and children had followed Jesus on foot. These people were looking forward to hearing the word of God and to receive their miracles. In the 1st Century, this would have been a big crusade and considering the absence of social media and automated transport systems, these people chose to follow Jesus. 

They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. (Matthew 14:20)

Getting tired and hungry would be a natural reaction of such a crowd. Jesus had compassion on the crowd and healed their sick (Matthew 14:14). But the people were hungry for food. With good intentions, the disciples approached Jesus (Matthew 14:15), and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.” This seemed like the right thing to do. But Jesus replied in verse 16, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” The disciples showed their frustration; they had 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish. How can that feed a crowd of over 10,000 people (5000 men not counting women and children)? That is when Jesus came in to satisfy the hunger of the crowd with 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish. Verse 19 records that Jesus gave an order for the people to sit on the grass (crowd control) and He gave thanks, broke the bread and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. Miraculously, “they all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.” Jesus didn’t waste the twelve basketfuls of broken pieces. They were all picked up (Matthew 14:20). 

Whenever I am reminded of this miracle, I know that God will satisfy my hunger. Many people hunger for food that perishes, others also hunger for a deeper satisfaction of their souls. Jesus satisfies all hunger. As we pray for our miracles to happen, we should position ourselves to receive from Him. If you have strength to work, do not spend all day sleeping with the hope that your plate would be full by evening. The crowd walked to Jesus. They exerted energy. They left their homes and towns to meet Jesus. Be not slothful but diligence in all your ways and in due time, your hunger will be satisfied. Feeding a huge crowd with very little provision is a great miracle and shows that with God, all things are possible. If there is any impossible situation in your life today, call on the way Maker and the miracle Worker to make the impossibility become possible. Cast all your burdens on Him and trust Him to satisfy your deepest hunger. When your hunger is satisfied, don’t waste what can feed others. You can also donate to your local food bank to keep others satisfied.