God Understands.

It was a brand new cup and I'd broken it! It wasn't just any cup, it was my fathers cup! Immediately' the tears started flowing like a stream and  painful sobs escaped my lips. I'd broken my father's cup. I was in deep trouble. In the shattered pieces, I saw fragments of my young life broken literally.

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What's the fuss about a cup you wonder? well I must say this was more than a magical cup it was my father's cup. Good ol Chief(my dad) was as stern as he looked. Many often asked if he was a military man because of the permanent scowl on his face and the bark that was his voice. But he'd never been in the army. His grumpiness was just a façade that he wore but I didn't know that that night. What was topmost in my heart was the severe scolding that awaits me-that's if I was lucky. My fathers bite was terrible but his bark cut like a knife so I dreaded both.

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How do I explain that I'd broken his new cup even before it made it into the house. IT WAS AN ACCIDENT. As was tradition in my family, I'd rushed out to welcome my dad as his car zoomed into the compound. I was helping with the things he'd bought when the carrier bag broke and everything fell through the bottom including his new tea mug. Words can not express the terror that swept through my being at the thought of being the object of my fathers wrath that evening. why me? I asked the heavens. I hated getting into trouble but therein I found myself.

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Seconds turned into minutes as the tears continued to pour and sobs wrench my tiny body. I couldn't bear to go inside to narrate what had happened. I was too scared-scared of the beating or tongue lashing that would follow.
The shadow looming over my frame jolted me out of my dirge. it was my father. He'd freshen up and was expecting his evening cup of tea but non was forthcoming so he'd come looking for me.
"What are you doing outside and why are you crying? asked my father.
With voice trembling in fear, I explained what had happened.
"is that why you crying? he asked. "its just a cup, he continued. "Common get inside and make me a cup of tea.

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My trembling legs could barely lift me as I walked into the house expecting a smack on the back of my head for my carelessness but none came and neither was the scolding. My father made no mention of the cup but carried on like nothing happened. I was expecting a dire beating or scolding but got none except the usual grumpiness which was allright with me given the circumstances.
I am reminded of our heavenly father's love following the events of that night. God loves us and understands our frailties. He is aware of our struggles with sin like Paul rightfully described in Romans 7:19" "For the good I want to do, I do not do but I practise the very evil that I do not want.
God understands we cannot win the battle over sin in the flesh that is why He sent His ONLY son to die for our sins. God the son walked the earth so has first hand experience of our frustrations.
Jesus is qualified to stand before the father as advocate and High priest on our behalf because He has walked in our shoes too "we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathise with our weaknesses but One who has been tempted in all things as we are yet without sin.Therefore let us draw near confidence to the throne of Grace so that we may receive mercy and find grace in time of need" Hebrew 4:15-15.

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Many times when a person sins', there is the natural inclination to hid behind fig leaves just like Adam and Eve but God wants us to approach Him seeking help. He is not ignorant of our weakness but He wants us to come to Him nonetheless.
That night many years ago, I'd cried needless tears expecting a punishment that never came. If only I'd buckled up and told my father what had happened I would have saved myself the heartache. At the end of the day I found compassion because my father understood that accident happens to even the best of us despite our best intentions

Encouragement for the hurting

EDITOR'S NOTE:  Sometimes life hurts no matter how careful or saintly you are. Even the strongest of people also hurt . Job was righteous but he had his "bout" of challenges.  A "dear friend" betrayed my confidence a while back and I was badly wounded. Many nights after the incident, I cried myself to sleep and  sought solace in God the healer of broken hearts (he heals the broke hearted and binds their wounds" psalm 147:3) . Eventually, I was healed and the hurt just a distant memory but I still bear emotional scars from the relationship. Mind you, many times I was tempted to lash back and hurt the source of my pain but I never did simply because I have a different kind of spirit at work within me. In all, I believe there is a lesson to be learnt in every situation whether good or bad, you'll come out stronger if only you'll let God change your perspective. I found this inspiring article on Proverbs 31 that teaches  how to cope when life hurts. It's written by Chrystal Evans Hurst. Be blessed.

Working Wonders of the Wilderness.

Moses and Aaron must have had the worst job ever! Talk of leading the most stubborn, opinionated and ungrateful bunch of people in history on a journey spanning 40 years, in the wilderness of all places!! I would have secretly knocked them off in their sleep or given God a very good reason to obliterate them all..phew!!. I'm sure looking back at his call, Moses would have wondered if he'd missed out anything on the job description!  Am sure if he'd known how stiff-necked the Israelites were going to be let's just say he may have backed out (eerm, I would.). To think poor Aaron was roped into it. A simple visit to his brother became a life long adventure...see wahala!  The 10 plagues and the run in with Pharaoh were child's play compared with dealing with this group of complaining people.

Part of the plan

The book of John 4:1-40 recounts Jesus' encounter with the Samaritan woman. This was not a chance encounter but incidentally part of his earthly mission. Jesus did not just appear at the well because verse 4 of that chapter tells us "He had to go through Samaria". Jesus was going to Jerusalem but he had to make this "stop" to reconfigure the journey of a woman who was lost. The Samaritan woman was lost emotionally, maritally socially and religiously. Maritally, she'd been with five husband and the sixth man was not even married to her. She was a social recluse as the bible tells us she was at the well during the hottest time of the day-ALONE. Most maidens and women always go to fetch water in groups and mostly in the evenings (Gen 24:11). emotionally, she was an outcast; given the strict religious laws at the time, who would want to be associated with an immoral woman?, better to brave the intense sunlight than endure the condemning stares and gossip of the other village women. Religiously, she still had a warped mindset of true worship,(John 4:19-24) Jesus could not continue to Jerusalem until he met with this woman. He felt the pull of her mess and needed to turn it into a compelling message. That journey into Samaria was not a detour but PART OF THE PLAN. Jesus came to earth with a plan and that lost lady with a whole lot of gabbage was part of that divine plan. What is that plan you may wonder? TO SAVE THE LOST. "For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost",Luke 19:10. Salvation met the samaritan woman at the well. She was lost in sin and burdened by religious dogma but Jesus met her right there and then and SHE WAS SET FREE. Her CV did not matter to Jesus and yours does not either. It does not matter how far lost you are, Jesus died for you.Your story like that of the woman at the well can be His Story, if only you'll let him. That nameless woman stands for each and everyone of us who has at one point or the other made very poor choices but its all good because Jesus loves you the way you are. Moreover, there's no hiding from him,He is ALL SEEING. Remember, you are not an after thought no matter what you are going through, YOU ARE PART OF THE PLAN.