While in bed drifting off to slumber land, I prefer to either listen to worship music, the audio Bible or a sermon, so that my mind stays focused on God as I sleep.
So as usual yester night, I wore my earphones and switched on my
MP3 player, in the mood of worship music and not from my playlist. I was about
to switch to Hope fm from Truth fm, when Ron Kenoly's 'Let everything that has
breath' started playing, so I lingered on to listen and sing along.
The song took me back
to when my sisters and I were in our early teens. Due to the nature of my dad’s
job then, he was required to travel a lot for work. On the weekends and while
we were on holiday, he would take us all with him, so that he’d have time with
us, even though he was working. Oh the joys of road trips even though half the
journey we'd be blacked out in the back seat. We’d stop on the way and buy some
snacks and fast foods, which we’d enjoy having in the car as we shared stories,
jokes and sang along to the music playing. My dad only played Christian music
in his car, mostly Ron Kenoly and Maranatha! Music (He had the Praise1- Praise
13 collection). To date we can sing word for word most of their music. I
believe this is how our passion for worship music was cultivated- we are all
big lovers of worship music.
We always looked
forward to these trips even when they meant travelling for long distances or leaving
the house before dawn (since dad was on a schedule), because they really made
us bond as a family. I really thank God that even though my dad was very busy,
he did not bury himself in his work and ignore his family but always found ways
to bond with us. This is one of the things I count as a huge blessing and don’t
take for granted. It is because of God’s grace and of dad and mums willing efforts,
that we as a family are good friends who enjoy each other’s company (which
cannot be said for most families).
We now don’t get to
travel together as often as we would like, but when we get the chance to, we
usually pick a random destination, get in the car, and just drive, then buy
fast foods on the way and eat it in the car as we share life stories, or stop
and have the meal at a restaurant. And when we can’t do that, we go and eat out
at a nearby place, make food at home and just enjoy each other’s company or
find and activity we can enjoy as a family. And even when we are all not
available at the same time, the available members have to do something together,
but it’s never the same when a member is missing.
The bond we have as
the Kurias was not created overnight, or in one road trip, it is something we’ve
all grown into with time, with each individual playing their part in making a
decision to be present (to willingly want to be part of the gang-willingly giving
of your time, love, resources etc to keep the bond).
When
a man and a woman are courting, there are those things that they do to grow
their bond. Unfortunately most couples stop once in they’re in marriage, which
is so sad. It’s as if their goal was just to get into marriage as opposed to
building their relationship, and because of this, some end up drifting apart
even to divorce.
Unfortunately
this is how some of us relate with God. We worship, fast, pray, study the word,
praise, give etc, and build an intimate relationship with God, and then slash
off some of these things as soon as He has established us in His purpose for us,
or even completely stop, as if our goal was just to enter purpose.
The other day Apostle Erick
Mwangi-My spiritual authority- taught something very profound using Saul’s
story (1 Samuel 9-10). I cannot expound on the whole teaching but I will pick
out something that will make sense in line with my blog.
From the quoted
chapters, which you should read for yourself, he made the following derivative
concerning Saul:
- He was dedicated as a son to his father,
- He was dedicated as a servant to his father,
- He was an authentic giver,
- He was a teachable student, and
- He was extremely humble.
There must have been something Saul was doing to cultivate these attributes, and the day he stopped, is the day he lost them, and hence lost the anointing on him. In 1 Samuel 15, God rejects
him as king for disobedience…. he lost that which had attracted God to
use him, his character no longer pleased God. That day he lost His bond with God.
I
am saying all this to say that, whatever it is that you did to catch God’s
attention, don’t stop doing it. Stay in that place of daily cultivating your
relationship with God…everyday going deeper. The same way a fish was created to
function in water and outside water it dies, we human beings were created to
function in God, and outside God we die.
Adam
and Eve died a spiritual death the day they operated outside God, and so did
Saul. I like David, because when he realized he had drifted away from God, he
found his way back. The book of psalms is filled with songs and prayers he
directed to God, from that place of intimacy with Him. Others are of him
repenting, asking God to search his heart, to create in him a clean heart and a
right spirit, to teach him to number his days etc. He stayed humble and always
seeking to be with God, hence why God referred to him as a man after his own
heart.
Just
like my family and I keep looking for things to do together in order to keep
the bond, you too have to cultivate your relationship with God. And because God
is in the business of making sure you are a success in your area of calling,
remember to stay humble, and keep cultivating your relationship with Him. Don’t
for one moment be deceived into thinking you have arrived, that like Saul you
can do whatever you want, now that you’ve become famous, or an influence in
your area of calling. It is in fact the time that you should even go deeper
because the higher God lifts you, the more you become the devil’s target, and
the greater your fall shall be (God forbid! It shall not be your portion).
Parting
shot:
If u got there by
Honoring God & Spiritual Authority, prayer, fasting & giving....Don’t
ever stop doing it.~ Apostle Erick Mwangi
This is so true, everything needs constant nurturing!!! in order to bloom and thrive later
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