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Use the Key!

Monday September 30, 2024.

If you live in the same country as I do, then you’ll no doubt be aware that there is a lot of evil doing happening here.

When I consider all that’s going on, I cannot help but draw parallels between us and what the Old Testament nation of Israel went through in the period of the judges. We are repeatedly told that Israel did evil in the eyes of the Lord by serving foreign gods, which angered God. The result? God “gave them over” to oppression. And isn’t oppression the right word to describe what’s happening to our children, our payslips and farm produce?

But every time Israel turned back to God and cried out for help, the Lord sent a leader who would lead them in pushing back the oppressive enemies. Then the land would have peace until the people again turned away from God. And thus the pattern goes throughout the book of Judges.

Now, it’s easy for us to point fingers at our leaders and call them greedy and all sorts of other names. However, we too need to look inwards to check on the state of our hearts. What is our relationship to money? Who, between Jesus and money are you serving? Who, between the two has more influence over your choices? Is your top priority to accumulate wealth on earth (where moth & vermin destroy), or to store up treasure in heaven? 

These are questions I have had to grapple with recently. And I was shocked to find out that my desire to grow financially was deeper than my desire to submit to Jesus and put Him first in my life. It was a painful and heartbreaking realisation to discover that my heart was just as flawed as those I criticised, all while believing I was one of the ‘good ones.’ 

Today, I invite you to do some introspection . . . 

See, when you and I acknowledge that we are just as greedy for wealth as our leaders are, then truly repent; that will initiate the change Kenya needs. When we commit to serving God and not money, God will hear our cry and push back the oppression.

You and I hold the key to turning things around. The question is — will you use the key?

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A New Appreciation

Allow me to share my experience as I chatted with two fathers about their children.

The first father was visibly distressed about his child’s poor performance at school. I could actually see the pain on his face as he asked me to have a word with her. He shared that her grades had been steadily dropping since she joined high school. And the rate at which she was going, she was almost certainly going to fail her final year exams.  

The second father has a slightly older daughter. She completed her bachelor’s degree about four years ago and she has had trouble securing a job in her field of study. This father was sharing his plans for his daughter’s further education, and he was in despair because he did not have as much money as was required for a master’s program. I could hear the anguish in his voice when he shared this. 

As I’ve reflected on these two conversations, I have come to a new realisation about fathers. I reckon fathers are some of the most uncelebrated, unacknowledged people in our society. This is a new appreciation for me because I have seen firsthand the pain fathers have caused to many children (me included). But these two fathers, and my own dad (story for another day) have shown me up close that fathers are often misunderstood, and that they have a deep love for their children; even when they are unexpressive.  

Through these two fathers, I also have a fresh awareness of what our Father in heaven’s heart is towards us. Like the two fathers, our Father in heaven cares immensely about our wellbeing. He wants what is best for us and is grieved when we either go astray or do not experience His good plans for us. Through these two fathers, I can clearly see what the psalmist meant when He wrote,

As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him; for He knows how we are formed, He remembers that we are dust. 
Psalm 103:13–14 NIV

So, take a moment to join me in thanking God for being our perfect Father in heaven, and asking Him to give society a new appreciation for fathers.

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More in Love

Not so long ago, when there was a public interest court-case in progress, the public could only keep track through courthouse photos and articles in the newspapers. Today, thanks to social media, we can actually follow the entire case from the comfort of our sofas. How life has changed!

Now it so happens that today is one of those days when I’m following a court case on social media. The accused person has a team of some of the best legal minds in Kenya. And as I watch the proceedings, I find my mind drifting away from the screen . . . 

I observed that the accused is quietly seated, while the lawyers speak on his behalf. The lawyers are referring to evidence from the prosecution, various sections of our law, and a previous judgment that is in support of their client’s innocence. And the judge is listening carefully as the lawyers as advance their arguments. 

My mind then strayed to a verse in the Bible, “My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.” (1 John 2:1 NIV) Instantly it became clear to me that Jesus’s role as my Advocate is to speak on my behalf, before the Righteous Judge, to counter accusations levelled against me by the accuser (aka satan).   

In pleading my case, I imagine Jesus states that because I have confessed Him as Lord & Saviour, His blood has covered all my sins and made me righteous in God’s eyes. I can “see” Jesus cite verses such as Romans 8:1 which says, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (NIV) And “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9 NIV)

So, on the basis of Jesus’s blood shed on the cross, my confession and belief in Him as my Saviour, the Righteous Judge issues a verdict proclaiming me innocent and nullifying satan’s accusations against me. No wonder, the message Jesus brings is called the good news! 

But this good news doesn’t give us a permit to live in any manner that we please, simply because we know we are already forgiven. As it says, “What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?” (Romans 6:1–2 NIV) 

The only fitting response from us is to fall more in love with Jesus and voluntarily live as He did, with God’s word at the centre of our lives!  

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Dilemma & Crisis Solved

Today is the 20th of August 2024.

On Sunday 18th August, a friend — one whom I love very, very dearly — sent me a text requesting for a not-so-small amount of money. Money that was needed urgently. 

Remember in my recent post I shared that I am currently on a lower income? If you haven’t you can catch it here.

Well, as I read the text, an image of my bank balance promptly flashed through my mind. And I quickly established that I had a dilemma on my hands. Whereas I was willing to give, I would be left with less than I need for the month.

After I had panicked for a moment, I remembered that all silver and gold belong to God. So, I said a prayer asking Him to be the one to give this friend the money required. And, because I didn’t want to use the sometimes not-so-helpful “God will provide” response, I texted back saying I would see what I can do on Monday and promised to pray for the friend’s business to pick up.  

On Monday I again reminded the Lord about the amount my friend needed. Plus, I refreshed His memory (ha!) of how much I would be left with after sharing with my friend. Finally, I told the Lord I was willing to give, because He is able to provide for my needs. Then I picked up the phone to call my friend. 

And guess what? My friend — without me asking — told me that the emergency for which the money was required was no longer a crisis. Just like that, the Lord had solved my dilemma and my friend’s crisis! 

What an awesome and faithful God we serve!

He did it for me . . . may He also come through for you. 

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Uncertain Times

It’s been a while since I shared a thought here. Mainly because so much has been going on in my life, and in my nation. If you aren’t already familiar with what’s going in Kenya, please look it up.

For quite a number of years now, I’ve sensed the Lord guide me towards a career change. At first, I ignored the ‘feeling’ and thought perhaps I simply needed a revised strategy or new approach to my work. But at the start of this year the ‘feeling’ was too loud for me to keep ignoring. I no longer found joy in my work. It had become an unpleasant chore that I performed because I had no choice. Well, that, and I needed the money!

At the start of this year (2024), I decided to get on board with what I was sensing the Lord say to me and I walked away. It was very difficult because this was what I had done since 2006; and all that I was an expert at. Plus, I couldn’t see where the Lord was leading me to. But in March, He brought about an opportunity that I thought was something to do while I wait for the next real job. This is now the final week of July, and the ‘real job’ hasn’t come along yet. What’s started to dawn on me is that this opportunity might be ‘the real job!’

This new opportunity has come with a much lower income, but it is also something that I’m enjoying. However, between the lower income and unrest in Kenya, I have been very anxious about my financial security. I must say I’ve been struggling to trust that God will provide and that He has my back. Some days it’s gone well, and other days it hasn’t.

But God doesn’t only have me covered financially, He had already gone ahead of me and worked in me to write and publish a little book a few years ago. I thought I needed the book at the time I was writing it, but I realise that I need it even more now. One thing that has amazed me about how God works is that the little book brings me so much comfort and peace. Every time I re-read it, it’s as though I’m reading it for the first time!

When I look around me, there seems to be turmoil almost everywhere and it seems that we are in need of words that bring peace and comfort more than ever. So, if you find yourself staring at uncertainty and need to hear God’s personal assurance to you, check out the eBook here: Uncertain Times: God’s Personal Assurance to You

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On My Side

Back in the 1980s, we had a much-loved auntie who lived in a small town on the edge of the Rift Valley. To reach her on phone, we had to first dial a number that connected us to the national telephone operator, then give the operator her number, and ask to be connected to her. We could only speak to her when the operator put us through. #IYKYK

In those days, when the (fixed) house phone rang, you answered it because you didn’t know who was calling or whether they had an urgent message for you. Today, we have mobile phones which show us who is calling, so we have the option to choose to answer (or not). And we are even able to ask them to send us a text so we can gauge how urgent the call is. How far the telephone has come since the 80s!  

These days when I call a friend and she doesn’t pick up, there’s a tendency for me to wonder why she isn’t answering her phone. I quietly wonder, ‘what could she be doing?’ And that can spiral downwards really quick to ‘why is she ignoring me? Have I done something wrong?’

Sometimes this attitude spills over into my conversations with God. If it takes a while to see answers to a prayer, I wonder if I’ve done anything wrong. Or question why He is ignoring me. This is one of the areas that the Lord has been working on, in me. He’s been teaching me that He always hears when I pray, He always answers, and His presence is always with me. He is teaching me to be confident in His love for me. Because at the root of me thinking He is ignoring me, is a lack of faith that He loves me and a fear that I’m on my own.

One of the verses He has used to increase my confidence in His love is . . .

So do not fear, for I am with you;
    do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
    I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Isaiah 41:10

Through this verse I’m learning to remind myself that He is always at work when I invite Him to a situation. I am learning to trust that no matter how things look, or how long it takes to see answers to my prayers, that He is with me, and He is on my side.

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He Is . . .

What is your Bible reading routine? Of course I’m assuming you have one!

I use a plan on my Bible App. Usually, I pick one that takes me on a journey through all the books of the Bible. Most days I stay on track, but there are days here and there when I fall behind. Today is one of those days that I was able to get my reading done as planned. It was day one of the gospel according to John. As I read the first five verses of Chapter 1, I observed a few things that I hadn’t noticed before. And that’s what I’d like to share with you today . . .

What caught my attention from these verses is the description of Jesus. We are told that . . .

  1. He is the Word.
  2. He is with God.
  3. He is God.
  4. He is uncreated.
  5. He is the Creator.
  6. He is life.
  7. He is light.

Which made me ask myself – when we are told Jesus is the Word, does this mean that whenever I read any part of the Bible (which is God’s Word), I am reading about Jesus? Or getting to know Him? And conversely, when I don’t read the Bible, am I denying myself an opportunity to deepen my relationship with my Saviour?

What do you think?

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Mature and Complete

Remember the kitten that formed part of my lesson on waiting? You can read it here Wait Joyfully.

Well, the kitten’s mother, Kit, has taught me a few lessons too. For instance, Kit has a way of letting you know she is hungry. It took us a while to figure it out, but now we understand that when she behaves a certain way, she is asking for food. What’s more, her reaction when she sees the food is impressive.

That is, in comparison to her kitten’s reaction. When the kitten hears food being poured into her bowl, she gets very excited, runs around and jumps at you. Which makes it extremely difficult to set down her bowl where she can eat.

Kit, on the other hand, waits patiently. She keeps her eye on her bowl at all times, but she waits at one spot until the bowl is put where she can access the food. 

The other day as I watched Kit, I thought to myself . . .  what a great display of patience . . . from an animal! The only reason I could come up with to explain the behaviour difference between Kit and her kitten, is that Kit is mature. This thought was quickly followed by a reminder that patience and being able to wait on God’s timing are marks of a mature follower of Jesus. As you can imagine, this thought led to a self-examination on my own level of maturity. (Now is a good time to pause and examine yourself . . .).  

Do I, like the kittens (or little babies), throw a fit whenever God doesn’t answer my prayer exactly as I expected Him to? Or do I get impatient when He doesn’t work according to my schedule and take matters into my own hands (like Sarah and Abraham did)? 

“Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

James 1:4 NIV

The level of patience you and I exercise is an indication of how much we trust God. The more we trust in God’s faithfulness and goodness, the more likely we are to wait confidently for His answer and timing. 

There are definitely areas that I could exercise more patience.

How about you? 

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Wait Joyfully!

This morning, our kitten showed signs of a leg injury. My five-going-on-twelve niece caught me looking at the cat sympathetically as she limped across the floor. The little girl interpreted my sympathetic look as sadness on my part. Next, she asked me in a very matter-of-fact way why I was unhappy, yet I knew that the vet was on his way. She was adamant that me knowing the kitten would be attended to, was reason enough for me to be happy even before the vet arrived.  

I quietly smiled to myself in amazement at how the Lord had used a 5-year-old to demonstrate a lesson for me. See, I’m currently studying what the Bible says about hope and what it means for me practically. What I’ve learnt so far is that hope is a confident expectation that God will keep His promises. For this reason, hope involves waiting for the promise to come to pass. You know like Abraham and Sarah waited for a son . . .

Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.

Romans 4:18 NIV

I’ve also learnt that hope is closely intertwined with faith. How, you ask? Well, faith is being convinced that God is almighty, trustworthy, good and full of love for us. When you and I are absolutely certain of His character (faith), then we can wait in confidence (hope).

Sometimes the wait is so long that your insides start to feel all knotted up. Yet even though you don’t know when, you know the promise will definitely come to pass. Hence you are able to keep a positive attitude while you wait. That is why faith is described as . . . 

. . . confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

Hebrews 11:1 NIV

Are you, like me, waiting on God to fulfil a promise? Let us look back on our own lives, or to the Bible, and be reminded that God is faithful, and He keeps His promises. Therefore, we can wait joyfully, and like Israel, say: 

“Look, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he has saved us. This is the Lord; we have waited for him. Let’s rejoice and be glad in his salvation.”

Isaiah 25:9 CSB

By waiting joyfully, we can draw others to Jesus as they marvel at our attitude.

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Over the Hurdle

If you watch athletics, then you know that Kenya is famous for winning steeplechase, aka water-and-hurdle races. Now, though I neither have the ability nor the desire to run, I thought I should write about hurdles instead. And this is how my most recent interaction with hurdles went:

It was a few days ago. I called a friend with whom I normally enjoy a good laugh. This time though, her tone of voice told me all was not well. 

It turns out she needed her passport renewed so she could travel for an emergency, but the immigration officers were being ‘unhelpful.’ If you’re from these parts, you know that ‘unhelpful’ can quickly turn to ‘helpful’ when your purse shows up. She was neither willing nor able to pull out her purse, hence her disheartenment. And she didn’t have friends in high places either. 

After sensing her frustration was getting out of hand, she left to get a cup of tea and recollect her thoughts. It was at this point that I called. We chatted and prayed before she went back to immigration.  

Later that evening we spoke, and she said she had again faced the same hurdle, but unlike before, this time she was able to lodge her renewal application and told to return in 2 days.  We spent the 2days praying for God’s favour. Bright and early on day 3, she sent a cheery message saying her new passport was safely in her hand! 

As she and I join together in thanking God, I’m reminded that I shouldn’t despair, or seek friends in high places when there is a hurdle before me. Like our athletes approach the hurdles without fear, I should see the hurdle as something to be overcome. How? By going to God in prayer because He is all-mighty and all-powerful. He is able to get me over the hurdle. Just as He says in Isaiah,

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Isaiah 41:10 NIV