Promise and Destiny Meet

It was love at first sight when they accidently bumped into each other on that gorgeous day.  Or was it an accident? I think not because nothing happens by accident in God’s plans for our lives.

The radiance of the beaming sun and clear blue sky with it giant cotton ball clouds declared the glory and majesty of its Creator.  Yet, the beauty of that day was incomparable to the beauty of the one which God had favored above all the women on earth to birth His Promise.

It was early morning and Joseph was already working feverishly in his father’s carpentry shop. Tables, pieces of wood, buckets of nails, mallets and hammers all over the tiny workspace made it an extra chore for Joseph to move without stumbling over an object.  His friends teased him about his clumsiness. He didn’t mind; he was never easily offended. On the other hand, his mother didn’t take lightly to their teasing her young handsome son about his two left feet.  Of course, Jospeh's father, Jacob, was more concerned about the steadiness of Joseph’s hands, rather than the instability of his feet.

Life was good for the family. No, they weren’t the wealthiest in their neighborhood, but they definitely weren’t the poorest.  The family was always thankful for all that Yahweh had provided. They never failed to tell of His marvelous works and goodness to them.  Mr. Jacob always made sure they helped others in need as well. It was the godly thing to do.

Excitement permeated through their home when Joseph brought the good news about the young girl he’d ask for in marriage.  He shared with his parents how he’d run into her, literally, at the market.  Her beauty was pure inside and out. There was something about her that distinguished her from all the young girls who had eyes for him.  He remembered that day vividly. She was shopping for her mother, as she’d always done.  As she made haste to return home with the fruits and vegetables she’d purchased...Bam!  That day would be their new beginning. Their lives would be changed forever, but they had no clue how different things would become.

While the fruits and vegetables spilled over the ground, Mary’s head was spinning from the blunt force trauma. Thankfully, the force wasn’t so strong… She was steady on her feet; it was as if she was rooted and grounded in something more stable.

“Are you okay?  I’m so sorry! Please forgive me; I always seem to bump into object but not someone.”  You could see Joseph’s embarrassment glaring in big red letters all over his face.

“Yes, I’m fine.” Mary reassured him. She tried to erase the embarrassment she read in his face. “Really, I’m okay; how about you…?”

He interrupted apologetically, “Please, please…I’m sorry; let me get that for you.”

That bright, sunny day would be forever etched in their hearts.  It was the day their lives were interrupted by God’s plan, which was set in motion to fulfill His promise to make life better for us all.

***

 

The above is my imaginary meeting of Joseph and Mary, the mother of Jesus.  The life-lesson in this story is, there are no accidents with God’s plan for our lives. What we call coincidences and even fate is really promise bumping into destiny.  When that happens, our lives are interrupted so that God’s purposes can unfold, and we can be vessels for His glory in the fulfillment of His promises. Know that when promise and destiny meets someone else will benefit from God's plan for your life.

Season of Sadness

Season of Sadness

Nikki's First Real Christmas

Nikki decided that Christmas was meaningless. And for three years she refused to celebrate it. It was just another day. She could not feel the excitement and joy of Christmas that caused her friends and coworkers to beam like the rising sun. All she felt was sadness and loneliness. She became frustrated seeing the crowds of people and long lines scrambling to finish their holiday shopping. As the holiday approached Nikki sank deeper and deeper into depression. She had no appetite for the smorgasbord of meals in the office. Everyone in the office knew she was annoyed by the Christmas spirit that buzzed throughout the office like a bumble bee. She expressed her nausea by all the laughter and cheerfulness. She felt no one understood her pain, nor did they consider her feelings. The pain was cutting deep into her soul as if she had been stabbed with a butcher’s knife. Although she had counseling session with the company’s Employee Assistance Program, there had been little progress. Nikki still grieved during the holiday season. She traveled to Los Angeles last year to visit relatives, but it was a horrible experience. She cried constantly during the three-day visit. Her uncle Troy and aunt Lessie tried to explain to Nikki that her mother was a Christian and was in heaven now and in a better place.
“How can you say that she’s in a better place than being with me?” she sobbed.

Nothing they said soothed the piercing pain in Nikki’s heart. Her mother’s death was an open wound that would not heal. Every time she saw a mother and daughter together she cried.

Nikki had no idea that this would be her first real Christmas. The chains that held her captive for five years after her mother’s death would be broken. Nikki’s grief centered on her feelings of guilt during her mother’s illness. She was unable to spend as much time with her during her chemo treatments and doctor visits. She barely made it in time to be with her before she passed away on December 26th at 12:15 a.m.

Nikki’s coworker, Samanthea invited her to Jesus’ Birthday Party at her small Pentecostal church on Christmas Day. They arrived just in time to hear the praise team sing a variety of Christmas carols. As the singers sang with fervor, “Oh come let us adore him” tears flowed unrestricted down Nikki’s face. After the singing the congregation roared with jovial expressions, “Glory Hallelujah!” “Praise the Lord!” The Spirit was high as the pastor stood staring up toward the huge crystal chandelier that hung from the ceiling.

“What is he staring at?” Nikki whispered to Samanthea.

“Shhh, he’s in the Spirit; probably receiving a right now word from the Lord for somebody.”
Nikki whispered with conviction, “Well, I sure hope he gets a word for me. I need help; I’m tired of feeling sad and lonely every Christ....”

Before she could complete the sentence, Pastor Ryan blurted, “Hear the Word of the Lord! Tonight is your night of freedom. You have been grieving out of guilt for too long. But you are free tonight and I want you to know everything is alright. Your mother is at rest; you did your best. Peace be unto you tonight.”

By that time, Nikki was slumped over the pew sobbing uncontrollably, and in between sobs saying, “Thank you, Lord Jesus. Forgive me for everything. Yes to your will, Lord.”
That was a birthday party that changed Nikki’s life forever. She experienced her first real Christmas, which brought restoration, joy, hope, and most of all meaning.

Perhaps your situation is different, but like Nikki you’ve decided that Christmas is just another day; that it means nothing to you. Maybe the holiday season is a painful reminder of the pain you have suffered by the loss of a loved one. If so, I understand the pain of separation. My mother transitioned from her earthly life to her heavenly home a few minutes after midnight —December 26, 2003. Yes it was a very sad Christmas that year as I sat alone in her hospice room all day on Christmas Day. Actually, it was heartbreaking the next Christmas too. But like Nikki and me you can find consolation in the Word of God by applying your faith to believe in the spirit of Christmas. *Read and meditate on the Christmas story—the fulfillment of a promise prophesied centuries before Jesus’ birth.* The spirit of Christmas is peace, hope, joy and love that come through Jesus Christ. But more importantly, will you choose to believe and receive the Gift of God. “For unto us Child is born; unto us a Son is given…” (Isaiah 9:6). By receiving the Gift of God in the Person of Jesus Christ Christmas will have meaning for you.

*Isaiah 9:7/Luke 1:32, 33; Micah 5:2/ Luke 2:4, 5, 7; Daniel 9:25/Luke 2:1,2; Isaiah 7:14/Luke 1:26, 27, 30, 31; Hosea 11:1/ Matthew 2:14, 15

Merry Christmas

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No Shortcuts

A commuter on the freeways of Houston could conclude that there is no “rush-hour” traffic JUST TRAFFIC because drivers are rushing all hours of the day and night. And Courtney is inclusive…

Her twenty-minute drive to the office is sometimes 30-40 minutes if she doesn’t leave at a certain time each morning. Well, that is the challenge for Courtney: Driving into work on Monday, late, still groggy… no caffeine; inching along bumper to bumper… with tailgaters because of a car wreck on the northbound side of the freeway not southbound. Approximate arrival time to work: 1 hour late. Courtney anticipated reaching S. Shepherd/Greenbriar exit off 59 South to take a shortcut she has taken frequently to save time. As she maneuvered into the exit lane, she heard, “Don’t take the short-cut.”

Her first inclination was to ignore it; but it was so peaceful and resolute, she chose to obey. (My sheep hear my voice…and they follow me, John 10:27)

The lesson in shortcuts began—a spiritual truth conveyed from a natural perspective:

There are no “shortcuts” on the path to purpose and destiny. The stops and turns only slow you down. When you stay on the path predestined for your life you will arrive on time if you are consistent and discipline in your preparation. Shortcuts are your personal attempts to reach your destination based on your ingenuity, intellectual reasoning, and the direction you choose to take.

Do you like to take shortcuts? Do you hate traffic jams and look for shortcuts to avoid delays? If you do, no condemnation. It's a natural part of our human nature— to take control; choose the path to take to get you where you need to be even if you’re not sure of where the shortcut will take you. I’ve seen drivers violate traffic laws because they’re in a hurry to get some place, and traffic is moving too slow. We are very impatient. It takes too long to reach our destination. However, most of the time it’s our fault because we didn’t prepare for journey, or allow ourselves ample travel time.

There are no shortcuts on the path to purpose and destiny. Be patient. Prepare for the journey and allow the Holy Spirit through God’s Word to lead and guide you. The potential for getting lost is greater when you take shortcuts particularly in unfamiliar territory. That is why you need an all-knowing, ever-present, and all-powerful God to order your steps.

To drive the lesson home… Courtney chose to obey by not taking her shortcut, and traveling the straight path to reach her destination.

It works! Try it! Just hear the voice of the Good Shepherd and follow Him.

The Power of a Promise

By


Queen E. F. Phillips

My friend, Marsha did everything she could to make her husband happy. But instead he became more distant and coldhearted. His glaring dark eyes pierced her soul like arrows tossed at a dartboard every time he looked at her. The verbal abuse became unbearable. His raging insults caused her pint-size self-esteem to evaporate like boiling water.


Marsha chose not to attend our last girls’ night out. She confided in me that she only felt worse after our gatherings. Seeing how happy we were in our relationships made her feel disconnected. As her devoted friends, we promised to encourage and support her. We even had the audacity to promise her things would get better, which was totally out of our control. For months, Marsha listened to our advice knowing we could not make good on our promises. Our advice offered no real solution. Her mate’s broken promises ripped her heart apart and left her drained. Unfortunately, we added to her heartbreak. Obviously, we made a promise we could not keep.


Finally, Marsha resolved that she needed to try something else. She wanted to hear what God had to say about her situation. She decided to spend some time in prayer. She wanted answers. She was desperate, even willing to face the truth no matter how painful it might be. She was ready for a life-changing encounter that her grandmother told about so many times.


She meditated on First Corinthians 13:4-8a, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoice with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. Love never fails.”


She prayed, “What happened that caused love to fail in my marriage?”

In the stillness of the early morning hours before dawn, Marsha sensed warmth as if a blanket covered her chilled body. Tears of joy replaced her sorrow, accompanied by a symphony of peace, faith, hope, and love. An unexplainable calmness erased fear and despair as she listened attentively to the small still voice within.

“Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)


Marsha awoke inspired to believe in the power of promise. She had heard this scripture quoted a jillion times by her mother. Marsha remembered the powerfulness of this promise, and how it transformed the mindset of her mother during times of adversity. Miraculously, it gave her strength to stand firm and believe that good wins over evil. It gave her fresh hope for a brighter future. The power of this promise provoked a level of faith that empowered her to embrace every challenge with expectancy and purpose.

Life comes with a long list of challenges— broken relationships, painful pasts, fears, depression, tragedy, and bad decisions. But may I remind you of one thing? It is difficult to carry our challenges in overstuffed backpacks depending solely on the promises of others to ease our burdens. No doubt, family and friends would love to help just as we tried to help Marsha. But none of us possess the power to revive a broken spirit, and heal a wounded heart caused by an onslaught of broken promises.


Perhaps now would be the perfect time to try an experience like my friend. It could inspire you to believe in the power of promise. Couldn’t you use the rest?