The Nights Preceding The Solstices

It was sometime in May when I visited Paris. (My advise - do not go there alone/single. You will be tempted to have one of the opposite gender by your side). I unpacked, informed some friends I had arrived, watched some movies then took a nap. I woke up refreshed at about 7pm, had dinner and decided to go to sleep against my course the next day. Next thing, I received a call from my friends asking me to hang out with them.

"It is late", I responded, eyeing the soft, comfortable bed in my hotel room.

"The day has just begun, nobody goes to bed by 7:30 in Paris during this season", they replied.

I drew aside the drapes in my room. Lo and behold, the sun was up like 3pm in Nigeria. That is how it was till about 11pm that day/night. As I woke up late the next morning, I simply muttered, “This is the real meaning of longer days, shorter nights”.

It was sometime in November when I visited Aberdeen. I woke up early to catch the 8:30 bus. By 7:30am, I was done with all preparations. I stepped outside hoping to get a glimpse of the area around me. To my surprise, it was as black as night – 12 midnight in Nigeria. I went back to my room to take a nap since it was still night to me. To cut the long story short, I missed the bus and went late to class. I told myself, “My geography teacher never really explained the concept of longer nights, shorter days”.

Geography/astronomy has the different seasons, and the Solstices in some cultures are considered to start, separate or fall in the middle of the seasons. These Solstices are marked by different lengths of days and nights.

In life we experience different seasons, and we have the “nights” as part of them. The night in the context represents periods of adversity, trials, disappointments, despair, overwhelming confusion, uncertainties, obscurity or when you feel God is silent. I don’t know if you have passed through one of these or if you are going through one.

The days/nights preceding the Solstices taught me that though they are composed of nights, the nights associated with each day was of a different length. Bringing this to life, you might go through a situation in 2 months which took someone else 5 years to pass through. Similarly, you might face a situation for 1 year, which took someone else 3 months to go through. An example is of 2 friends who applied for jobs within the same organization and were both successful. One had to wait one month before she was called to start, the other had to wait for a year before she started. Imagine if you were in the shoes of the one who had to wait one year. Won’t you have felt inadequate, hopeless or as though what you were believing God for won’t come to pass?

Yes, in life, our nights have different lengths. The time you have to wait will be different from when someone else would have to wait, so do not compare. In some cases it might appear that the other person did not wait, because everything seemed to have happened so fast. You never know. What is sure is that “as long as the earth remains, there will be day and night” [Genesis 8:22]. No matter the length of your night, you will surely see the day. Weeping may endure for a night but joy comes in the morning [Psalm 30:5]. And you can be sure that God, who neither sleeps nor slumbers, is working all through the night in your favour. If He seems silent to you, do not lose hope for He says, “I will watch quietly from My dwelling place…” [Isaiah 18:4] yet working for your good. If you have to wait, I pray God gives you the grace and strength to wait on Him. God has made everything beautiful for its own time.

Related Devotionals From The Heart Of  A Loving Father – Working All Through The Night and I look On From My Dwelling Place.

 

The Shortcut

Several years ago...It had been six months since I finished University, awaiting NYSC, so all funds had been cut. After those seemingly long months of waiting on God for a financial breakthrough and it was not forthcoming, I sought to find a solution for myself. One Friday, I called a friend whom I knew was financially okay. I asked for some help. He agreed to give me some money but on the condition that we go out on a date. Sunday evening, I indulged him and he gave me N3000 (equivalent of about $20).

On Monday, I took my N2500 (now short by the transport money), full of excitement that my immediate problems of fixing my hair and my nails will be solved. I had to walk through my department in school, which was near the salon I was going to. To my greatest surprise, I received 2 pieces of information I was not expecting. The secretary in my department said she planned to call me that Monday for she received the information late on Friday.

The first was that a scholarship I had applied for in my second year, which I had lost hope that it will ever come through, had suddenly come through and I would be paid N50,000.

The second was a lecturer needed someone to help a company with a quick study. I accepted it knowing that it would take me only 2 days to do the work. In my mind, I valued the job as a N20,000 job and felt that with enough management, this could last me three more months. On acceptance, I was told that I would be paid N250,000 on completion of the study (of which I had to give a little part of the money with the lecturer that helped me get the job).

As I received those pieces of information, I took a seat, pondered and wept. I said “If only I had waited on God just 2 days, I would have known that He had already answered my prayers”. N3000 (which resulted in me devaluing myself) was nothing compared to what God had in store for me.

I am sharing this story specifically for someone who has been waiting on God for an answer. Now you are at that point where you want to take the “shortcut” – the alternative that seems to solve the immediate problem without considering the future implications. Your Loving Father is telling you to hold on. Do not underestimate what He can do. Do not create your own testimony. You have waited this long, though counting the times that has passed. Believe that God's grace is sufficient to take you further.

When Esau sold his birthright [Genesis 25:29-34], he was thinking of solving the immediate problem - his hunger. He was consumed by his situation that he did not understand what He was giving up.

Beloved, what may be someone else’s miracle may be your shortcut. You know that thing you desire, and hopefully those words of peace that God has spoken to you concerning that which you desire. In my case if only I had waited 2 days, I would have known God had already answered my prayers. He has already answered yours and I do not know how much longer you need to wait to see the physical manifestation of your answered prayer. But do not forget this one thing: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. The Lord isn’t really being slow about His promise, as some people think [2 Peter 3:8-9]. What He has in store for you is worth the wait, for He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that you can ask or think.

Have a blessed week ahead.

Related devotional on "From The Heart Of A Loving Father":

Remember Your Rights As A Child Of God.

Just Reflecting

I remember that night when he said, “my younger brother just came in from a long journey and we cannot get food now. Do you have a meal to share?”

We were in school. I cooked. Yes I had a meal that night but I did not feel like sharing. It was unplanned for. He was nothing to me. Not a boyfriend nor was he asking me out. He was not doing my assignments for me. Apparently, there was nothing I could get from him. But I remembered my mother’s words, “a small meal shared is more satisfying than a large meal eaten alone”. So I replied, “Yes, I have a meal to share. Tell him to come to my room.”

4 years later, I learnt that after that incident his brother told his parents, “There is one lady I want in this family. She is nice and she can cook. She will make a good wife for big brother.”
That meal I shared I guess was a response to destiny calling. Today, that guy I shared the meal with is my brother-in-law. So you know who “he” is?

I recalled this story after listening to a message that asked, “When Rebecca gave those camels water to drink, did she know that the next day she will be riding upon the camels?” [Genesis 24:19, 61].

This post is a call for 2 things:-
1. Your diligence in serving the Lord. I write specifically to someone who is asking, “What is the point? After all my years of service, I am still in waiting.” For instance, you may have been an usher for years yet no guy has approached you. Your husband may not have approached you. But his sister that you treated nicely in church has been telling him of your good deeds. When he comes to you, he would have known enough about you. Your wait might seem like eternity, but your day is coming, the season is now.

2. An understanding of the God you serve. God is faithful (reliable, trustworthy, and therefore ever true to His promise, and He can be depended on)[1 Cor 1:9a], He is the rewarder of those who earnestly and diligently seek Him [Hebrews 11:6]. Abraham who understood the God he served said “The Lord, the God of heaven, Who took me from my father's house, from the land of my family and my birth, Who spoke to me and swore to me, saying, To your offspring I will give this land - He will send His Angel before you, and you will take a wife from there for my son,” [Genesis 24:7]. What can you say about the God you serve? Are there no testimonies in your life that speak of the goodness, faithfulness and grace of God?

A large, thirsty camel can drink as much as 200 liters a day. Think about that 20 liters jerrycan you use to buy fuel. 10 of it for 1 camel. Rebecca gave water to 10 camels. If I was her I might have been wondering, “God, why did I leave my father’s house this morning? Which kind of work is this? Who sent me? What will I gain? Even if this servant asks me out, I will surely say no…” Can you think of others?

This is a time to be diligent in your walk with God– delight yourself also in the Lord, and He will give you the desires and secret petitions of your heart [Psalm 37:4].

For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for His glory [2 Cor. 1:20]. Do you want to tap into these sure blessings of the Lord? If you have not given your life to Christ, it is not too late to do so. Simply confess your sins to Him, declare that you believe He died and rose again for you, surrender yourself to Him and invite Him into your life as your God and savior. It is well with you.

Have a blessed weekend ahead. Do not miss next week’s question on the Infant Step Series. It is going to be hot and thought-provoking.



Heavenly Father, may your praise be continually in my lips. You are a loving and faithful Father.

Fatigue Failure

I am sure you are looking for this week’s question on the Infant Step Series. I am sorry to disappoint you. It will be up next week. Today I have a message for someone in particular and I cannot help but share it. Also, Greg and Anonymous, I will still respond to your questions in the last post on the Infant Steps Series.

Have you heard of fatigue in materials? Those who know the science of materials and metals can easily relate to this. I will try to make it simple here.

Do you know what makes a bridge that has been carrying tons of vehicles suddenly collapse one day when a bicycle is on it? Or do you know what makes a structure that has withstood the storms collapse one evening under a cool breeze? It is failure due to FATIGUE.

Fatigue failure is the tendency of a material to break by means of a PROGRESSIVE cracking under REPEATED ALTERNATING or CYCLIC stresses of intensity considerably smaller than what should normally break it. Example, there is palm kernel that Hulk Hogan can break with one hit of the stone. For you, you may have to hit the nut many times before it breaks though without using as much strength as he would. The number of cycles required to cause the failure is quite large, but it decreases as the stress is increased. Still on the palm kernel example, though you may have to do it many times before it breaks, it will become easier if you put in a little more effort.

Why I am talking about fatigue today? I am speaking specifically to someone who is saying “God, I am tired. I cannot do this anymore!” You have been praying, studying, praising, confessing the Word of God, hoping, believing, having faith, and yet you do not see the results. I want to tell you not to give up. You are almost there. Sooner than you think, you and everyone will see that so-called mountain brought down to nothing. Your prayers, praises, confessions, seeds and faith have been working. You have been applying stress on that mountain and all you need is a little more perseverance in what you have been doing to see the “failure due to fatigue”.

I leave you with these words

“Do seize, hold fast and retain without wavering the hope you cherish and confess and your acknowledgement of it, for God Who promised is reliable (sure) and faithful to His word.” [Hebs 10:23 AMP].

Remember the key words in fatigue failure:
Progressive: - gradually increasing in severity. Keep increasing your time spent in the presence of God through prayer, worship, praise, study and meditation on the word of God.
Repeated: - occurring again and again. This is not the time to stop doing what you have been doing.
Alternating or Cyclic: - changing direction, occurring in cycles. It does not mean you should stop praying and then continue later :-). At regular intervals, take time to do something special with your prayer (like fasting), sowing new seeds, etc.

Are you going to hold on tight to see the "failure" due to the fatigue your prayers and perseverance is causing?

If you liked this, you may also like
Lacuna
In the Waiting Room

Tomorrow

Tomorrow
Where will you be?

Who will remember
Your broke-ness or brokenness
Your toiling and sweat
Or the doors shut at your face?

Who will imagine
Your silent tears in secret
Moments you almost lost hope
Or when your fears grew with each day?

Who will know
Of your seeds sown
Seeds of time, energy and resources
And resilience despite disappointments?

Like a flower about to blossom
And a seed waiting to sprout
In just a little while
Your breakthrough will come:

Tomorrow
Where will you be?

Begin to confess and visualize
All that you want for yourself
And back it with My Word
For I am watching over My Word
To perform it.

Do not envy him/her who seems to be there, for you do not know what he/she passed through to get there.

Timekeepers

My dear people, I was away for a while for reasons beyond my control. I was working hard :-). Thank God for the public holidays. It was very timely.

I really missed reading your blogs. My sincere appreciation goes to all those who checked up on me. Thanks for your love. You all are wonderful.

*****************************************************
I had something I wanted to post but I have to deviate and save the post for later. Let me tell you why.

I went to visit a friend and I stumbled on an article. You know that section in magazines where they put comments from the readers? Ok...In one of the reader’s comments, this lady was talking about how someone saw her and her son and said, “this boy has come of age. Won’t you get a younger sister for him?” The woman became SAD and wept the whole night. It had taken her 5 years to have this child and due to infertility problems she could not have another. The comment from the friend (or foe?) reminded her of her pains and inability.

This may have been a remark said for the sake of conversation, maybe humorously, but it had a negative impact. I have been a culprit of these kind of not-intended-to-harm comments but I guess I never knew how bad the impact could be. I have learnt now. I’d rather say “God bless you” if I have no positive words to say.

I’d liken this friend to people I call timekeepers. These ones say, “You’ve finished school over 4 years now. When are we going to chop your first month’s salary?” Not knowing that Mr. Man is struggling with rejection from many interviewers. Or, “You are over 25 years old. When are we coming to chop your wedding rice?” Putting Mademoiselle under undue pressure. What of “You’ve been working for 5 years and you have not built house or bought tear rubber?” without considering that Mr. Man is training all his younger ones in school. Let me not go through all the examples. Timekeepers just sit down and tell you what time is right by their standards. It is more painful when the timekeepers are your loved ones.


Whose standards should you follow? Who made time? Let the timekeepers keep timing until they are tired. It may just be that their comment is something you are believing God for. Rest assured that it will surely come to pass. You must not forget this one thing: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise towards you, as some people think [2 Peter 3:8-9a].

Remain blessed.

Please join me to welcome a great lady to Blogville. Fanwest is a lady whose words helped shape my life and who always loved me as a friend inspite of myself. Fanwest, welcome oh!

Unfinished Business

The words of my mouth

May the words of my mouth
Be acceptable to you, Oh lord
May they be spoken in due season
May they be as honeycomb
May they make the heart of man glad
May they be gracious
May they be
Of You.

The Inspiration
“Please remain seated while we make this announcement,” came the bellow from the Virgin Nigeria PA system. Nkeiru shifted uncomfortable on her seat. This was the third time they had made an announcement. Each time the announcement was made, they talked about a delay. She had an appointment she did not want to miss. “Why the delay?” She asked herself.
“The Flight VK--- from Lagos to Abuja has been delayed for an hour…”
She did not wait to hear the rest of the announcement. She picked up her bags and marched straight to the lady that had made the announcement. After 5 minutes of venting her frustrations on the lady, Nkeiru stormed off with curses at the tip of her lips. She was not relieved though because she was not going to make the appointment. She was guilty that she had left an innocent lady almost in tears.

As she walked out of the airport to get something to eat, she saw an old friend of hers.
“Alice! Long time no see!” Nkeiru squealed in delight as she embraced her friend.
“Yes, Nkeiru. It’s been more than five years.”
Alice excused herself from the person she was standing with. They shared some minutes catching up on old times.
“Why don’t you introduce me to your father?” Nkeiru asked blatantly. “I have not met him before.”
“That’s not my father, gal. That’s my sugar daddy.”
“What are you doing with a sugar daddy? Don’t you have a Father?”
“He is taking care of me at the moment in ways Daddy can’t!”
“Don’t you want to be available for a young man?”
“These young men of nowadays. There is no good guy out there. Nky, you know. Is it not two of us that got heart broken in year 3?”
“I had two more heart breaks after that, but that does not change the fact that there are good guys out there. We probably had some things to learn out of the heart break, such as there is someone who loves you and will never break your heart. There is some one whose love is unconditional...."

"Spare Me!"

"... You don’t have to sleep with Him to get money from Him. He is not going to beat you blue-black when you did not speak to Him. He is not going to make you feel you are nothing more than an instrument to satisfy a man’s need. He simply loves you for who you are! I know you had it rough with that relationship…”
“…relationships…” Alice quickly corrected her
“…but you won’t find that good guy when you are in the house of your sugar daddy. That man holds no promises for you. He is simply a distraction from your purpose and destiny! And guess what, Alice? I have been there before. I have seen what is best and I want you to experience it too.”

Alice was thoughtful for a while.
“I really don’t like you now,” Alice confessed, “because you are not supporting me. All my other friends have encouraged me in this relationship and have even suggested ways that I could extort money from the man. But I know you are saying the truth. I really want more but I just remain in the relationship because I have no other option.”
“Why don’t we have lunch together and talk about the relationship that really matters? The relationship with Jesus. My flight has been delayed for another one hour!”

That was some years ago. Today, Alice is a woman living in the fullness of what God has stored up for her. Thank God for the delay in Nkeiru’s flight.

Have you ever found yourself asking “Why the delay?” If you do, then know it is time to ask, “Lord, what can I do in the mean time? What can I learn in the mean time? How can I improve as I prepare for what I desire?” Surely, what He has promised you will come to fruition [Psalms 85:9; Proverbs 23:18; Isaiah 14:24; Habakkuk 2:3; Romans 4:21]. You will be surprised that when you look back, you will appreciate what you called a delay, for He has made everything beautiful in its time [Ecclesiastics 3:11]. Make the best out of the waiting period. Don’t leave without finishing what you were really supposed to do.

In the Waiting Room

In the Waiting Room

Lonely in the waiting room
Ignorant of everything around me
Except the perception of my senses
That all except me have what I desire;

My eyes see
The very things I prayed for yet so far
My ears hear
Your answers to other’s prayers
My nose smell
The fulfillment of your promise
I feel
The lack of that which I groan for in secret;

My lips let out a lament
Wondering when my turn will come
For it seems that those behind me
Have been attended to;

And then I hear Your gentle whisper
Like sweet music to my soul
This same time in My Time
I will come to you;
And then I find my peace
In Your Words
I realize I am not alone
So I wait on You
For my expectation is from You only.

The Inspiration
Timi heard the good news of his brother. His brother had just got a scholarship to further his education abroad. All resulting expenses for this education have been taken care of. Timi left the gathering of his rejoicing family. He wept. He was not jealous. He was not envious. He was simply frustrated. He lamented, “I have prayed for this too. I felt peace in my heart that God had answered this prayer. I did everything right. I stood on His word. Even when the enemy has been dropping discouraging thoughts concerning my CGPA, I still stood on the promise of God. Some that bribed their way through have got this scholarship. God, why is my case different?”

Have you ever found yourself in such a situation? When it seems like a zillion years between the time when you prayed and when the prayers are answered? Most likely. Maybe this is not your case now but if you look back, there may have been times like that. If this is your situation now, you are not alone. But the good news is you are in the waiting room. Being in the waiting room means it will soon be your turn to see the physical manifestation of your prayers. It does not matter who comes first or last. What matters is that you will surely be attended to.

It is very discouraging when you seem to have done everything right yet the prayers don’t seem to be answered. The Psalmist said, “I have been young, and now I am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.” [Psalm 37:25]. You can be assured that God will never forsake you nor will your seed be in need. All you need to do is to wait. Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint [Isaiah 40:12]

What can you do while you are waiting on God? By the way, waiting on God does not mean you are waiting for Him to answer your prayer. You are waiting for the physical manifestation of your prayer because He has already answered your prayer.

1. Keep praying: - this means keep being in communication with God not repeating what you have already asked of Him. Communication improves your relationship with God and by so doing you may understand the purpose for the waiting period. [Luke 21:36; Ephesians 6:18].

2. Stand on His Word: - Whatever you desire, as long as it is His Will, has His Word backing it. Stand on His Word. Even when the enemy tries to test it, do not let go. His word will come to pass because His word will never return to Him void [Isaiah 55:11] and He watches over His word to perform it [Jeremiah 1:12].

3. Be mindful of what you hear and meditate on: - Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God [Romans 10:17]. Do not find yourself listening to words that will make you disbelieve what has He has promised you but delve more into His Word. Take every testimony as a reminder that your turn is coming soon.

4. Rejoice with others: - especially when it comes to the very thing you believe God for. When you rejoice with others, when you sow seeds into their lives, you will not even realize it when your prayer has been answered.

5. Visualize the realization of your dream: - Faith without works is dead [James 2:20]. You need to act like you believe that your prayer has been answered. Confess positively. Visualize it. Thank God for it [Psalm 52:9]. Talk about it like it exists.

6. Sow a seed: - Sowing precedes reaping – it is a natural principle. But you need to sow in good ground to reap something good. Spend time with God knowing what to sow, how to sow and where to sow. Even when it seems painful to sow, the results are tremendous [Psalm 126:5-6].

7. Do not tell God how or help God to answer your prayer: - God’s ways are not our ways. His way is perfect [Psalm 18:30]. His timing is perfect [Ecclesiastics 3:11]. He is mighty in wisdom [Job 36:5]. Who are we to tell Him how best to do it? One thing I know is when He does His thing; HE does it exceedingly above our expectations. Trust Him with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding [Proverbs 3:5-6].

8. Wait on the Lord: - While you are waiting, wait on God, not on man. It is God that will give you the words and strength to go on. It is God that is always with you and will love you just the way you are [Psalm 27:14; Psalm 62:5].

This list is not exhaustive nor is it a rule of thumb. You alone know how your relationship with God is.

Let me close now with these words: Do not be weary in doing good for in due season you will reap if you do not lose heart [Galatians 6:9].

Have a blessed day ahead.