My God shall Supply All Your Needs

And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your

needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:19

As a new school year begins albeit behind schedule for those of us in Nigeria  due to the deadly ebola virus scare.  We are thankful to God for the way the spread of the disease was contained as Nigeria has successfully managed the disease and is now declared ebola free. Now the children can go back to begin a new school year. However for many parents the beginning of a new school year signifies a time of  financial pressure as school fees are being sought for the list goes from new uniforms, new sets of books for the year to school bags  and other supplies and sometimes upward reviews of school fees. Some children are going to High School or the University which means more money to be spent.

This is often a demanding time for parents even in cases where both parents are there. Now consider the widow who is the sole provider and breadwinner whose children have to go back to school. For many it's like a nightmare  with bills ,bills,bills and limited resources. We can however draw hope from Philippians 4:19. God  can and is willing to supply all our needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. I know this because he has done so for me over and over again since my husband died. Looking at this verse again I sense God calling us to take His word literally. He is mindful of our need to pay school fees and get other school supplies for our children and very willing and able to provide our needs.

I am sharing how God paid all my children's school fees hoping if you are a widow raising children alone and wondering where the the school fees etc will come from,you will be encouraged. I know that the same God that has done it for me will do much more fore you. First thing I did was to get my children involved in praying to God to provide because I know He hears and answers the prayers of children. So we  pray together  requesting His  provision. I can't give the full details but God answered wonderfully. First it was my youngest fees that needed to be paid to secure her admission to Secondary(High) School. I filled out a form to take a loan from my Church women Cooperative but God provided. Then again we were paid money for something my husband did over two years ago and hadn't been paid for and that took care of others. I later took the loan but less just to add up and in doing so realized so many of the women with husbands had loans so i am not doing badly for a widow. 

What really blew our minds was when on Friday we needed to pick up a few last minute supplies. At the Thursday prayer meeting in Church the pastor asked that widows should be prayed for asking God  to met their financial needs . Friday Morning I get a credit alert from  a family friend whose birthday was on Thursday and I had sent a text to say HBD. Usually the celebrant should be given gifts but God turned it around for me. Later that evening as we left the market another alert ...I had to ask my son to check to be sure I was seeing well. This time it was a friend of my husband. As at today 3 of the children are back to school and the fourth will go on Thursday. All fees paid and all needs met. 

As the Lord who owns all the silver and gold and the cattle on a thousand hills raised helpers for me. I pray for you that He will raise help for you. Our circumstances will be different but God is the same and will work through your circumstances to meet your needs and pay your bills. After all He is your husband and your children are His. If earthly men can provide for their families then God will provide for His! 

He knows the Way that I Take

I will lead the blind by ways they have not known,
    along unfamiliar paths I will guide them;
I will turn the darkness into light before them
    and make the rough places smooth.
These are the things I will do;
    I will not forsake them.

Isaiah 42: 16

One of my pastors’s told us about a brother who would go to motor parks to evangelize. He would walk up to a traveller and ask ‘Where are you going?’The brother meant where they would spend eternity after death but the question was a good way to get people’s attention. It is a thought provoking question. Where are we really all going in life? We all have our dreams, plans, goals and aspirations but more often than not life doesn’t go as we plan. Things happen, events we can’t control adversely affect our lives things we don’t understand but are forced to accept. Life is full of uncertainties.

Even when like Joseph God lets us know where He is taking us we will likelynot know the way he will take us through to get there. Joseph knew he was going to be great based on his dreams but he didn’t know there would be a pit orprison, never imagined his brothers would want to kill him and then sell him; he didn’t know he would attain that greatness in a foreign land or be a servant. What of having his master’s wife lusting after him and lying about him. But God knew each one of those details if he keeps track of the number of hairs on our head then he knows everything we experience. He is never taken unawares

Isa 42 Speaks so much to my heart because many times in this journey of widowhood I feel like a blind person. I didn’t bargain for this life, don’t want to bring up my children alone and face all the other challenges of life alone. This is why Isa 42 is such a beautiful promise. God is leading us as widows through this way we have not known, along unfamiliar paths. He guides us saying ‘nothis way my dear, a little to the left, no to the right, yes there you are!’ He is turning the darkness around us to light. We all know there are many rough places along this road but he will make them smooth. It ends so beautifully with what I consider a double confirmation ‘this are the things I will do; I will not forsake them ‘do you feel forsaken? God says he will not forsake you. Job23:10 says ’but he knows the way I am going, and when he tests me I will come out as pure gold’.

God knows where you are going but you probably don’t and because he knows he will go ahead of you. You may have been through the fire of affliction but you are coming out as pure, strong and beautiful as gold. Job lost all he had including ten children in one day. I can’t even begin to imagine his grief but he was able to trust God and came forth as gold. God restored twice as much as what he had in the beginning. God gave him double for his trouble though your beginning of widowhood may be challenging, dark and difficult God will give you double for your trouble. For every tear, fear and heart break God will restore and your latter days will be exceedingly great. Go ahead and put your hands and your life in his hands and follow him for he knows the way you take and when he has tested you shall come forth as gold!

The Balm in Gilead

Psalms 147:3 NLT

He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds.

Loss often results in broken hearts and wounded spirits. In the early stages of my grief the pain I felt was so tangible that my heart seemed to be breaking anew every day. When I would think it was so broken that there was nothing left to break it would break all over again. It created a real wound even though not physical there were times when i felt like my heart would burst out of my chest. 

A physical wound depending on how bad it is takes time to heal especially when it is caused suddenly by an accident. A wound as a result of a surgery or a medical procedure is carefully cut and stitched thus less traumatic but wounds caused by accidents are more difficult to nurse and heal because they just happen without any procedure or preparation. The wounds of loss are just like that; they are not prepared for and may come in all forms and sizes causing extreme brokenness and trauma. A physical wound requires attention and medication, balms, bandages, antibiotics and painkillers are used over time for healing and so also emotional wounds require time and proper attention. They must be well taken care of to soothe pain and facilitate healing.

In Jeremiah 8:22 the prophet asks ‘Is there no balm in Gilead…..why then is the health of the daughter of my people not recovered? Gilead was a place synonymous with a healing balm and because there was balm in Gilead it didn’t make sense for the people to remain hurting with unhealed wounds. Jesus is often referred to as the Balm in Gilead because of the salvation and healing that He brings.

Today I ask you is there no balm in Gilead? The answer is most definitely yes, there is! You don’t have to remain wounded and hurting because Jesus the balm in Gilead is willing to help you. However, you must remember that healing is a process, keep feeding your heart the word, nurture the wound in the place of prayer and trust, apply the balm of faith and hope and with time your wound will be healed. For me what seemed unbearable and impossible began to heal gradually when I allowed the balm of Gilead take over. God promises to replace our mourning with dancing and the truth be told only God can do that besides you can only dance if your wounds are healed. The scars may still be there but you will be able to enjoy the gift of life in joy! You have the rest of your life ahead and no matter how much time you have if you remain wounded and hurting it will be miserable to say the least. God knows this and so He says ‘I will heal your broken heart and bandage your wounds’. Will you trust Him enough to do just that?

Pressed like Myrrh but not destroyed

2 Corinthians 4:7-9 (NKJV)

⁷ But we have this treasure in earthen vessels,that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. ⁸ We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; ⁹ persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.

When Jesus was born one of the gifts He received was myrrh along with gold and frankincense which were considered luxurious products used by the rich and noble. Myrrh is got from an ordinary tree that has thorns. The Tree is bleed to get out the myrrh which has so many amazing properties. These include healing and anti oxidant properties. It is also used to embalm the dead, used as incense and was used in Bible times to anoint those called out for service.

One of the major properties of myrrh is its rich aroma and beautiful fragrance. It is therefore used for perfumes while the aroma soothes in times of suffering and pain helping in uplifting a person. Incidentally the word myrrh is derived from an Arabic word that means bitter and it is actually bitter to taste. Myrrh is crushed or pressed before it exudes the fragrance in it.  Something so valuable and useful can therefore come out from something plain, simple and unassuming like the tree or shrub myrrh is taken from. Many of us don’t consider ourselves as special, just regular everyday people then loss or widowhood further dents our self image and esteem. We wonder can any good come out of me. Verse 7 of our text says we have this treasure in earthen vessels. Beloved child of the most High God there is treasure in you.

Like Paul you may have been crushed, pressed, perplexed, and struck down by loss and the challenges of life but you will not be destroyed instead like myrrh God will use the pressure to bring out the treasure in you. The excellence of the power is not ours but it is of God that is why good can come out of what seems to be bad. A look at the lives of heroes of faith in the bible and even some great people that have walked this planet reveals that God allowed them go through life altering challenges but as they yielded to God’s plan for their lives good always came. Sometimes God allows the crushing so he can extract the fragrance from us. The Bible says we are the salt of the earth and just as salt gives flavour and taste God expects our lives to add a beautiful taste and fragrance to the world. I encourage you today to allow God bring purpose out of your pain. and may He cause grace and hope to flow out of your life. This experience will not break you it will make you!

Why 2 - Go Ahead and Ask!

James 1:5 (NLT)

⁵ If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.

In many Nigerian customs the fear of elders is the beginning of wisdom this includes parents, leaders and anyone older than you. You are not to question their authority. Even when an elder is wrong you must not mention it. So an elder is high up there, can do no wrong and is sometimes feared. Unfortunately many Christians see God in the same way the logic is if you fear and reverence men how much more the Almighty God.

I smile as I remember a group of women from a particular church that visited me when I lost my husband. I was sharing how a book that had been given to me by one of my pastors had helped me. When I mentioned the title of the book –‘When God doesn’t make Sense’ by James Dobson the pastor’s wife almost jumped out of her skin the focus of our conversation changed and they left soon after. Not that I minded because some of them had that ‘danger! Widow, run for your life it might be contagious’ look. Their reaction to the title of the book is just the same with the issue of asking questions. They must have thought how dare anyone even think of God not making sense? What they didn’t realise is that it is more about us not making sense of what God is doing.

Some people fear God might get angry if He is questioned. Others think its disrespectful, some think we might embarrass or discredit God, what if he can’t or doesn’t answer, while others feel as His children we should trust Him in all things knowing He cares and holds our past, present and future securely in His hands. While the last school of thought appears to be the right thing not all Christians are able to go through loss without wondering why at some point even when they know God is in control.

I believe people’s admonitions not to ask is driven by their own fears and insecurities due to misconceptions about fatherhood. Unfortunately this leads to grieving people harboring unspoken questions, fears and uncertainties. They become confused and with time may be resentful towards God because he has allowed this loss and yet refuse them to express their hurts and confusion to him. Asking in this case is not about being disrespectful or rude to God it’s about expressing your hurt and lack of understanding to the one that cares more than anyone else. Asking is therapeutic because it allows you pour out your heart to the father. Bottling up only adds to your pain.

Romans 8:15 says; So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him ‘Abba, Father’. (NLT). Come on dare to call him Father! Like a child run up and cuddle up near Him and pour out your heart to Him. It frees you from doubts and uncertainties and gives you a sense of peace and release. Cry if you want to but let it out, He is waiting.

Our text says ‘ask…he will not rebuke you for asking? You will be moving forward in your grief. Remember you must trust him enough to leave the answers in his hands because he will answer in the way he deems fit but in your best interest. It may be by giving you some explanation, speaking through his word, others or experiences or simply giving his peace, hope or assurance that all things will work together for good. While I am not guaranteeing you will get an answer or the answer you want, I can guarantee that it will do you good especially if you are the question asking type like me. He will reach you were your at and help you.

Some of the questions you need answers to are the How’s of life after death, how do I cope alone, raise my children alone or pay my bills etc again the Lord says through James 'ask your generous God and he will give it to you' – the wisdom and direction you need to carry on.

Why? 1

Matthew 27:46 (NIV)

About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?”(which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”)

The quest for answers is in-born in man, from the time a person gets to an age where they can reason they begin to ask questions like Why is the sky blue? Where do babies come from?And they will continue to ask questions till they die. There seems to be an insatiable desire to know the whys, ‘hows’, and ‘whats ’of life in the heart of man. The desire for knowledge and answers increases with age and I believe it was put in us by God. This desire is fundamentalto education and the socio cultural development of individuals, communities and nations. Parents begin to instil their values, culture and beliefs in their children from an early age as they provide answers about life, faith and God. When the child gets to school it is a continuation of finding answers.

While parents and education provide answers to many of life’s questions, we all know that a time comes when we have questions no one seems to be able to answer or which seem not to have answers. As a child I saw my mom as super woman she seemed to be in control of things and always knew what to do but as I grew I realised she was human like anyone else and therefore limited. The fact that people are limited in providing answers is more pronounced in times of loss and grief. Somehow no one has an answer to soothe our achinghearts; no one can tell us why our spouses, parents, children or other loved ones died. No one can tell us why it is us and not the next person. So such periods can be extremely difficult because we have questions racing through our minds with no answers.

When I lost my precious husband a number of people said things like ‘do not question God, Who are we mere men to question God, this is not the time for questions’. This may be true to an extent especially when my questions didn’t seem to be getting any answers. Howeverbefore I could process whether questioning God was right or not I would have asked so many questions in my heart.

Why? Is a natural response to pain and loss. Jesus was in agony as He hung on the cross in shame bearing the punishment for sins He didn’t commit and in the instant when God for the first time turned away from him the only natural response from his wounded body  grieving heart was My God, My God Why……?

This was Jesus fully God and fully man how much more you and i? The Bible says that His ways and thoughts are far from ours. They are higher and bigger but at the same time we are reminded that his plans for us are not evil but good to give us a future and a hope! Beloved if the questions come go ahead and ask, He is your father. But more importantly trust him even when you don’t have all the answers because he loves you deeply and is committed to your good.

Prayer

Lord Jesus I commit your precious child into your able hands. I ask that she find peace from being able to come before you with her questions and confusion. Help her to see beyond the pain to your love and goodness. Help her to trust you even when she doesn’t seem to have all the answers.