THE ABRAHAMIC LIFESTYLE 2

The Passenger in The Covenant

Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee – Gen 12:1

When Abraham left for the land of Canaan in obedience to the commandment of God, he took a passenger along with him: Lot. In Canaan, both of them began to prosper, and soon the land was not big enough to accommodate their combined possessions. Not long, the servants started engaging in fights (Gen 13:7).

Abraham had never fully obeyed God in leaving his kindred. And because he held on to Lot, God started disciplining him. He later realized that the promise was meant for him alone and did not include Lot. Upon this realization, he showed his nephew the whole land and offered him his choice. He never tried to keep the land to himself by selfish methods. He never held on to the land for personal reasons. The land was God’s, not his.

The important lesson here is for us to trust God, and convince ourselves that He would keep for us what He gives. And we must never seek to possess it by worldly means. Living in the world is not an excuse to be worldly in our deeds. We must come to the point in our lives where we leave everything into God’s hand.

Lot’s decision to choose the richest portion ought to have annoyed Abraham. It is enough for him to resent Lot forever, but he let him have it without any grudge. He let Lot have the portion he chose unconditionally. When he later learnt that Lot has been taken captive by Cherdorlaomer , at the risk of his own life he rushed out to rescue him the very moment he heard the news (Gen 14:14).

Those who know God do not need to protect their rights. Because we believe and trust in Him, we need to bear the cross daily and rely upon Him for the outcome. At this juncture, because of Abraham’s obedience and self-restraint, God spoke to him (Gen 13:14 – 17).

As you learn to surrender all and depend upon God for sustenance and provision, He will speak to that challenge of yours.

THE ABRAHAMIC LIFESTYLE 1

The Man and the Land

The eyes of your understanding being enlightened: that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saint - Eph 1: 18

God promised Abraham that he would inherit the land of Canaan. Abraham on his part did not fully understand the importance of this promise. He had not fully come to terms with keeping and dwelling in Canaan. The land was supposed to be his everlasting possession but Abraham had not fully come to value it.

As a result, when condition became unfavourable, he abandoned this land of promise to seek refuge in a foreign land (Gen 12:10). He thought that if he remained in that land, he would eventually die of hunger. This was a man whom God had promised that his descendants would be innumerable as the dust of the earth (Gen 13:16). He ought to have known that until the promise of an heir was fulfilled, nothing touch his life.

In Egypt, he learned that there was no land like Canaan. In Canaan, he had no need to avoid danger but in Egypt he lied so as to protect his life. For this, he was condemned by a man of the world. Abraham, a believer and friend of God was rebuffed by Pharaoh, a pagan monarch. As quickly as possible he returned back to Canaan, the land of promise.

Many times we often fail to value the promises of God. In trying to help God in quickly achieving His purpose in our lives, we adopt the ways of the world to side-step His timing. Believers have falsified their ages to secure jobs and altered documents to escape punishment. When caught, they found themselves at the mercy of unbelievers. When Apostle Paul noticed how the Ephesian believers were negligent of the grace of God upon their lives, he prayed for God to open their eyes (Eph 1:18).

Abraham learnt a valuable lesson that the land was precious. Are you caught in a similar situation today? Are you toying with the grace of God upon your life? Return back to God. Ask Him to forgive and renew His spirit within you.

THE STABILITY OF THE HUMAN SOCIETY

“As he came forth of his mother’s womb naked shall he return

to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labour, which

he may carry away in his hand”  - Ecc 5:15

THEN……….

Japan, a member of the G8, is considered to be a major economic power among the countries of the world. By nominal GDP, it is the third largest economy. It is the world’s fourth largest exporter and importer and Japanese products are regarded as the hallmark of quality. The country maintains an extensive modern military force in self-defense and peacekeeping roles.

  

After Singapore, Japan has the lowest homicide (including attempted homicide) rate in the world. According to UN and WHO estimates, it has the largest life expectancy of any country in the world. According to UN, it has the lowest mortality rate. Suffice it to say that Japan is a definition of a strong and stable human society.

NOW………

Japan is a state of nuclear emergency after a massive earthquake and tsunami struck the country along its eastern coast. An emergency was declared after a number of nuclear reactors shut down. Consequently, the high radiation levels recorded in foods and agricultural produce make them unfit for human consumption.

Japan faces the threat of health hazard and needs support from you and I to survive. The Prime Minister said, “This is the most severe crisis since World War II”. 

The stability of the Japanese economy was shattered by an earthquake. Despite the country’s advanced technological know-how, the disaster could not be averted.

Brethren, this is something we need to ponder upon. Remember the story of Job and how he lost everything in a day. Career, marriage, family commitments, education and a host of others have made people to neglect the primary in life: our relationship with God. We are so engrossed with earthly things that we forget heaven as our ultimate goal. Everything in this world that matters so much to us is temporal and would be left behind one day.

The Scripture says “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: fear God and keep his commandment: for this is the whole duty of man” Ecc 12:13. This is the primary reason why we are here. This is what we need to continually focus upon. May the Lord grant us the grace.

PS: remember Japan in your prayers. To see aerial pictures of the extent of the damage, log on to: http:/abc.net.au/news/events/japan-quake-2011/beforeafter.htm

THEY HAVE COME

The gods have come

Not in ones

Not in twos

But in multitudes

The gods have come

Not through the water

Not through fire

But through holes in the earth

As the gods come

My food

My soup

Silently they attack

Taking them afar

Wanting to ascertain

What a scheming neighbor

Added to the lot

While I went to sleep 

PS: I wrote this a long time ago when I was still in Abia State and every time I remember the incident, I just cannot help but smile. On that fateful day, my allowance has just come in and I was sort of loaded. I went to the market to buy every thing that you can find in a good soup (which I can afford anyway).

 After the cooking, my Egusi soup was really a beauty and the aroma was something else. I had planned that it would last me for a couple of days and after that, I will eat this and that and this… Suffice it to say that my feeding for that week was well planned and sorted out. I didn’t bother to eat the soup at that moment because I was not hungry and it was also time for me to enter town. 

It was late when I came back and I went straight to bed because I’ve been fed in town. When I woke up the next morning, I told myself that the best food to start that day was Eba/Egusi soup and I was already salivating at the thought of that. To my horror, when I got to my kitchen to warm the soup and make my Eba, I discovered that my precious pot of soup was being attacked by soldier ants. I could neither cry nor shout.

  

I was just transfixed to the spot, looking at the ants with murderous rage. It was after I came back to reality that I went to pour out the whole lot. Even a piece of meat, I never had the opportunity of eating. All the plans that I have made concerning feeding for that week came crashing down in that instant. 

This reminds me of the Scripture that says “Boast not thyself of tomorrow, for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth - Prov 27:1.This is a lesson for us to always put our trust in the Lord who knows the end from the beginning.

WHERE IS THAT DREAM?

Working in a good, cool company

Wearing smart, starched clothes

Riding recent, decent car

Living in lovely, warmly cottage

Where is that dream?

Who took away that dream?

Even in the stormiest of storms

And the toughest of toughs

We Africans never lose our pride

We never lose the Africa in us

I bid welcome you to my land

I bid welcome you to Nigeria

A place where most dreams

Never come true

Except with God

PS: Nigeria is a nation of people of with many wonderful dreams which is very okay for any country that must prosper. The intriguing thing is that along the line, people seem to forget all about their dreams and just forge ahead with whatever life and circumstances around them have to offer. Except one allows God to take control of his life, he may end up becoming another victim of unfulfilled dream.

SILENCE

Silence,

Nature’s prime laugh

Carefully masterminded to the last

Silence like a tumor he grows

Conveying the voices of the growing grass

And the murmurs of the mountains

Always ever present

When others are absent

If only we could hear

The roar at his other side

If only we could see

The length of his wide

Then silence,

Our smiling friend

Will never be called absence