“For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives” ( Hebrews 12:6)
Table salt users know that you generally need to shake the container to release contents. The shaking enables the flow. This principle also does apply to how God relates to his children. Sometimes shaking is the only way to get us close to him, and in so doing, release the best out of us!
Take the example of King David. He was chilling out on a sea of contentment that even after plotting the murder of Uriah to snatch his wife Bathsheba ( 2 Samuel 11- 12), he seemed unware of the gravity of his misdeed. It’s only after Prophet Nathan brought to his attention this sin, and futhermore, shared that he was to pay a price with the loss of his son, that David was shaken out of slumber. “Nathan replied, “The Lord has taken away your sin. You are not going to die. But because by doing this you have shown utter contempt for the Lord, the son born to you will die” ( 2 Samuel 12: 13-14).
King David fell on his knees and wrote one of the deepest and most humbling psalm: “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.. Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity” ( Psalm 51:1- 9). It took the shaking of the Lord to birth such an inspiring psalm that has blessed so many since.
No one should necessarily go around looking to be shaken. Yet, so often, the Lord brings events in our lives that shake us out of slumber. Maybe the experience might be uncomfortable but ultimately the fruit is to bring us closer to the Lord as happened to David.
Prayer today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, sometimes you bring periods of shaking to get our attention and bring us closer to you, and so help me to yield and open myself to those moments and situations, that in the end only help me get closer to you, this I pray in Jesus’s name.
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18/05/2024 - 19/05/2024 All day“Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.” (Colossians 2:15)
Perhaps one of the most inspiring passages in the Bible with enduring lessons is where Moses pleads to Pharaoh to let the Jews go. Instead Pharaoh dared Moses if he had the power as that of a king. Challenged to “perform a miracle” Moses turned to Aaron who threw his staff down in front of Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a snake. Pharaoh then summoned wise men and sorcerers, and the Egyptian magicians also did the same things by their secret arts: Each one threw down his staff and it became a snake. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs (Exodus 7: 9-12).
What we see here is the presence of occult powers in high places, as is true even today. A common mistake by some is to deny the existence of the occult behind certain thrones or power centers, especially in instances where we find those putting on a genteel manner of social respectability. There are also those who through their education and confined exposure to the spirit realm of things, doubt the existence of occult powers. The reality is that in the world we live in the enemy is much at work. 1 Peter 5:8 says, “Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”
In this passage we see that while Pharaoh did release his snakes the staff God had placed in the hands of his messenger, Moses, was far greater and swallowed all. Here is the point. As believers we do have a far greater and mighty power to protect us from any attacks of the enemy. It is the blood of the lamb. As it is written, “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony...” (Revelation 12:11).
Today whatever snakes you may encounter from anywhere be assured that you have a far greater power than of the enemy. It is the blood of Jesus. As His word says, “call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor Me” (Psalm 50:15).
Prayer for today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, today I pray for protection from the attacks of the enemy by the blood of the lamb, this I pray in Jesus’name.
