In 1 Chronicles 21, king David is moved by Satan to take a census of Israel. His decision so displeased the Lord that He gave David three options for punishment: three years of famine, three months of being destroyed by their enemies or three days during which God would send a plague on the land. David decided that it would be better to fall into the hands of God instead of the hands of men because he knew God would be more merciful. 
    The Lord sent a plague and seventy thousand men died. The Lord then sent an angel to destroy Jerusalem. However, as the angel was doing so, the Lord saw it and relented of the destruction against them. He commanded the angel to stop. When king David saw this, he repented of his wrong and asked God to remove the plague from the people and to put the punishment for his sin on him and his family instead. 
    At the place where the angel was stopped - the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite - David was commanded to build an altar to the Lord. He obeyed and sacrificed burnt and fellowship offerings and called on the name of the Lord. The Lord answered with fire from heaven on the altar of burnt offering and commanded the angel to put away his sword.
    What I find interesting about this story is the fact that the Lord relented and commanded the angel to stop the plague. It is not the first time, however, that the Lord relented of some punishment he had sent out. However, what caught my attention was the reality that God relented of His own accord. Yes, David had requested that he fall into the hands of God rather than men. But, what David also says next was a precursor to what actually happened: “Let me fall into the hands of the Lord, for His mercy is very great; but do not let me fall into human hands” (v.13). David understood and trusted in God’s mercy. He knew man would not be merciful to him but God would. He was confident that at some point in time, God would be merciful to him and his people.
    Here’s the thing. As the plague progressed, God did not wait for anyone to pray. God did not wait for anyone to beg for mercy. God chose to stop the plague of His own accord. God chose to show mercy of His own accord. Have there been times when you knew God was merciful to you even though you didn’t deserve it? Maybe you didn’t even bother to pray or even ask for mercy because you knew that whatever came your way would be justly deserved. But, when God chose to show you mercy, you may have felt overwhelmed because you knew it was because of Him not because of anything you had done. 
    God is mercy. God is love. He acts based on who He is, not necessarily based on man’s intervention. That reality should be a source of comfort and encouragement to many of us. It should even motivate us to just want to live right, want to make better choices. Maybe we can testify of times when we were in a difficult situation and we did not even have time to offer a prayer but God showed up anyway and brought us through. I can testify of that. When faced with a challenging situation, I did not even think of praying. It was the furthest thing from my mind. I was just focused on finding a way out of it. But suddenly, out of nowhere, God showed up and brought me through. There was no intervention of prayer on my part but God showed up anyway. He chose to. That’s who He is!
    God is mercy. God is love. When He is merciful it is because He chooses to show mercy. When He shows love it is because He is love. He cannot be different from who He is. And we can’t make Him into what He is not. So, be encouraged. As a child of God, you are in safe hands.
    If you have not accepted Jesus Christ into your life as your personal Lord and Saviour, I encourage you to do so today. God loves us enough that He is willing to show mercy even when we don’t deserve it. Trust that God’s mercy will go above and beyond because He wants the best for us. His mercy never fails!

    “I took you from the sheepfold, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people Israel. And I have been with you wherever you have gone, and have cut off all your enemies from before you, and have made you a name like the name of the great men who are on the earth.”
​(1 Chronicles 17:7-8)
    One day, while king David was in his house, he found himself desiring to build a house for the Lord. After all, he, David, was living in a house of cedar but the ark of the covenant of the Lord was being housed in a tent. This did not please David at all. He shared his desire with Nathan the prophet. God, in turn, spoke to Nathan and told him to tell David that He was not particularly desirous of a house to live in. He had never complained about it before. He then instead reminded David of where He had taken him from and of the good things He had done for him, to the point where He had made his name great (see verses above).
    What I love about these verses is God’s reminder to David of where He had brought him from. David was virtually a nobody. Even when the prophet Samuel came to anoint one of his father’s sons to be the next king of Israel, he was not even invited to the feast Samuel had demanded for this occasion. He was considered insignificant, unimportant, of very little value by his own family. 
    Yet, when it was time for the anointing to take place, even though he was not present, that did not stop God from choosing him. In fact, he had been chosen by God even before the prophet Samuel got to his town. God chose him even when he was hidden in the sheepfold. I love that about God. We may be hidden, insignificant, unseen, but when no one sees you, when no one sees your worth or value, God sees you clearly! And nothing or no one can hide you from His sight. It was God who took David from his place of insignificance and made his name great. It was God who delivered him from all his enemies, causing him to be highly respected by men near and far. God did it!
    Sometimes we forget all that God has done for us! We can get so caught up, so distracted by present challenges and circumstances, that we forget where God has taken us from and the good or even great things He is doing in our lives. I love the fact that God did it for David. When David was not even thinking of a life of greatness, God was thinking it for him! Imagine what God is thinking about you! You may desire great things for yourself, but God will always do greater than the desires of your heart. 
    God has a way of overwhelming us. I remember various times in my own life where God did something that so overwhelmed me that I did not even know how to respond. The most I could say was, “God You have overwhelmed me!” What has God done in your life? Where has He brought you from and how has He made your life so much better than what it was before or even than what you could have dreamed or imagined? Some of us are still watching and waiting for a dream to come to pass. But, what about what God has already done? Have you forgotten that? Or are you so caught up in present disappointments and challenges that you can’t remember what He has done for you? 
    I encourage you to take the time to remember. Remember what God has already done in different areas of your life. Remember the things He has brought you through when you thought you would not have made it. Above all, think about the reality that as you face trials and tests now, God continues to enable you to stand. Sometimes the fact that you are still standing when you should have fallen long ago, is the miracle in itself.
    God did great things in David’s life, for those of us who remember his story. Here’s the thing: God. Did. It! And God has done and is continuing to do great things for you. I encourage you to remember your past with Him, and look forward to what He still has in store. And as you remember … be thankful!
    If you have not accepted Jesus Christ into your life as your personal Lord and Saviour, I encourage you to do so today. God is a faithful God. He will never leave you or abandon you. He desires the best for you and will do His part to ensure that that best comes your way. So, be thankful for what He has done and for what He is about to do.​

    Sometimes our destiny seems mapped out for us. We may feel powerless to bring about change, yet in God change is possible. In 1 Chronicles 4:9-10, we meet a man whose destiny seemed mapped out for him. It did not seem as if change could be possible yet, it was.
    This man’s name was Jabez. His mother had clearly experienced significant pain in childbirth to the point where she gave him his name, Jabez, which means "borne in pain."  Now, it is important to note, that in biblical times, a person’s name was important. Names were not chosen randomly. Care and consideration was taken in the choosing of a name for a child. 
    In Jabez’ case, unfortunately, and through no fault of his own, his mother chose to give him a name that reflected the difficulty she faced in giving birth to him. She could have chosen a name that would speak something positive in spite of the negative she had faced. But, she did not. 
    Here’s the thing: Jabez, in turn, also had a choice. He could choose to come into agreement with what his mother had spoken over him, or he could choose a different and more positive outcome. Verse 9 says that he was more honourable than his brothers. In this one verse we see the juxtaposition between a life of honour and a life destined for dishonour. In spite of what his mother had declared over his life, he clearly chose by his actions to be the opposite of the negative she had spoken. He was not living out his name. He was choosing to live an honourable life in spite of it. When people heard his name, they didn’t see a life that caused pain but the opposite. 
    Like Jabez, we too have a choice. We can choose to live a life that reflects our negative circumstances or we can choose to live a life of honour in spite of the negative that has come our way. I believe that’s called choosing to stand in spite of the challenges you are facing. It’s not easy to stand when challenges seem to be defining you. It’s not easy to stand when people look at you and expect a life bowed down by  negative circumstances. 
    The other interesting thing is that Jabez did not try to accomplish this task alone. Clearly, he had confidence in a God who is able to turn any negative situation around. His mother called him “borne in pain” but he called on the God who is able to reverse what his mother had spoken over and into his life. He did not use his name as an excuse to do evil, but rather chose to put his trust in a God who could make him better and more honourable than what his mother had spoken over him.
    He asked God to bless him and to enlarge his sphere of influence. He understood the curse hovering over his life and trusted God to reverse that curse and to bless him instead. He also trusted God to make him a positive influence and not a negative one. He asked God for His presence in his life. He understood that without God he could accomplish nothing good. And he trusted Him to keep him from harm. But, he ends off by begging God that he would not be a source of pain for others (v.10). Clearly, Jabez understood the power of the name his mother had given him but he realised that the only One to reverse that negative influence was God. It was his trust in God that moved God to answer his request.
    God is all-powerful and mighty and can accomplish the impossible. But I believe that God is moved to act on our behalf when we choose to put our trust in Him. With this attitude, we are telling God, "Only You can do this, I can’t and I trust You!" I really do think many times, that is all God wants from us - complete trust in Him. And when we put our trust in Him, He will amaze us with what He can and will do.
    If you have not accepted Jesus Christ into your life as your personal Lord and Saviour, I encourage you to do so today. God just wants us to trust Him - trust that He knows best and that He has our best interests at heart. He loves us too much to give us anything less and will ensure that in spite of challenges, our life will be one of blessing and hope for all to see.
So, trust Him!

    Nadia and her family were afflicted with a stomach virus. Everyone got better except Nadia. She was extremely nauseous and her oesophagus and stomach hurt. She could not eat anything. Her parents took her to multiple doctors but no one could determine what was wrong with her or how to cure her. Finally, they got some answers. It was discovered that she was suffering from post-infectious gastroparesis. In other words, her digestive system had shut down. Although the doctors prescribed medications, they warned her parents that she might be struggling with this condition indefinitely. 
    The family now had to adjust their lifestyle. They were unable to attend special events because Nadia was feeling too sick. Nadia, herself, a once vibrant young woman, was now battling discouragement because of her condition. What was worse, after almost a year, just when she seemed to be improving, she suffered a severe relapse that left her unable to walk, eat or stand. Her parents decided to drive her to a prayer conference sixteen hours away. Unfortunately, the night before their trip, her condition grew even worse. They worried about taking her on this long trip, but they did it anyway. Her mother received encouragement from the Lord. He told her that it was a long journey but when they arrived her daughter would be delivered. Her father believed that if the Lord said it, even if he was concerned about her being able to make the trip, they were going to go. He preferred to obey the Lord. 
    When they got there, a Pastor prayed for her. All the pain and nausea left. She felt hungry, a feeling she had not experienced during her ordeal. Her father felt as if the Lord was reminding him that He, the Lord, was able to do this, so why had he doubted? Not only was Nadia healed of her condition but she received a renewed faith. She realised that no matter how long struggles lasted, miracles were still possible. Her experience reaffirmed her belief in God. Her story is a testimony that through prayer God is still resurrecting hopeless situations.
    One of the things that stands out in this testimony for me, is that the father felt that the Lord was telling him, “Why did you doubt?” I think many of us have been asked that question. The reality is that when a situation is taking long to be resolved, doubt and fear step in. We begin to doubt what the Lord spoke to us concerning the situation and the reality of what we are experiencing seems bigger and more intimidating than what God has said. Yet, God wants us to remember that if He came through for us before, He will come through for us again.
    I love what Nadia realised. She had battled for more than a year with her condition but she discovered that no matter how long the battle took, God was still able to do the impossible. God is not moved by our timeline. We all would like God to accomplish certain things for us according to our timing. Here’s the thing: God knows that time does not and cannot affect His power and His ability. He can still perform a miracle, He can still turn any situation around, even if takes one week, one month or ten years. God’s ability is not affected by time. We are concerned about how long something takes to work out and if it takes too long, we give up. God, on the other hand reminds us that, “At the right time, I, the Lord, will make it happen” (Isaiah 60:22).
    I don’t know what you are waiting on God to do for you. But, be encouraged. He will work things out in His perfect timing and according to His will and purpose for your life. No matter how late or how hopeless it seems, it is never too late for a miracle from God.
    If you have not accepted Jesus Christ into your life as your personal Lord and Saviour, I encourage you to do so today. Never doubt God’s ability to do the impossible even when circumstances are saying that it’s over. God still has the final say. And if God says it then it will come to pass.
​

    In 2 Kings 19, we read the story of king Hezekiah of Judah and Sennacherib, king of Assyria. Sennacherib boldly boasted against the Lord God and was convinced that God could not save His people, Judah, from his hand. After all, Assyria had had great success in defeating other nations whose gods were not able to help them (19:11-13). In his confidence, he sent a message to Hezekiah boasting of all that Assyria had done to other nations and threatened to do the same to Judah.
    In his distress, Hezekiah went to the house of the Lord and lay the letter before the Lord. He acknowledged God as the only true God, Creator of heaven and earth, that Assyria had indeed defeated other nations but that their gods were unable to defend them because they were not God but the work of men’s hands. He begged God to save them so that all the nations of the earth would know that God alone is God.
    I love Hezekiah’s prayer to God. When he received word of Sennacherib’s threats he became discouraged. Yet, instead of surrendering and admitting defeat, he went into the house of the Lord and cried out to Him. He admitted Assyria’s great success against other nations thus far but he firmly believed and expected his God to deliver them. Why? Because “You are the Lord God. You alone” (19:19b).
    Having faith in God does not mean denying the facts. The fact was that Assyria had successfully defeated a number of nations and destroyed their gods (v.18). Their success rate was indeed impressive! What would stop them from defeating Judah in the same way? Hezekiah had a choice - he could focus on Assyria’s proven track record for success or he could trust and believe in His God, the one true and living God. 
    Like Hezekiah, we too have a choice to make when faced with opposition and challenges. We can focus on the facts - the doctor’s report, our financial situation, relationship challenges, etc - or we can choose to remember that God is still the one true and living God and He can handle anything that comes our way. 
    Hezekiah actually begged God to show Himself as God for the world to see. He was so confident in the power and might and successful track record of his God. The facts could not change his mind about his God. We too need to be like Hezekiah when faced with negative facts. We need to remember that God is still on the throne, He will never fail and He will work things out for our good.
    We also need to remember that the enemy will use facts to intimidate us and shake our faith in God. That’s what Sennacherib was doing when he outlined the facts to Hezekiah. He wanted to intimidate and so shake their faith. The thing is that Hezekiah was too confident in his God to be swayed by the reality of what Sennacherib expressed. He knew that the king of Assyria was right. He also knew that his God was not the same as the gods of the other nations. Their gods could not protect them but his God would protect and deliver him and his people from the hand of the Assyrians. 
    What Hezekiah faced was real. What we face is also real. Yet, the God of Hezekiah many years ago is the same God today. What He did to deliver His people from the hand of their enemies then, He will do to deliver us from opposition and challenges today. 
    I challenge you to not become so distracted by the facts that you miss God and His ability to take you successfully through any situation. God is even more real than the facts we may face. He is bigger than, mightier than, more powerful than any fact the enemy may send our way to intimidate and defeat us. 
    If you have not accepted Jesus Christ into your life as your personal Lord and Saviour, I encourage you to do so today. Facts are real but God is even more real and more powerful than the facts you may face. God is the One with the ability to reverse, transform any situation that comes your way and bring deliverance where needed. That’s not just a fact, that’s the truth!