Guiding Scriptures - 1 Samuel; 7; Psalm 127:1; Romans 8:28; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.
DEVOTION
We conclude our prayer series today with our focus on thanking God. This does not however imply that prayers will be terminated today! We shall continue to pray for the nation each day. This is our obligation as children of God.
If we consider the prevailing circumstances today, the idea of thanksgiving to God will perhaps not make sense to most of us, especially those undergoing affliction.
There is however a biblical foundation for this practice.
When we examine the teachings of Scripture holistically, we discover that God works for the good of His people even under unpleasant circumstances (Romans 8:28). He never abandons or forsakes us even in the worst of times.
Ezra 9:9 says "For we were slaves. Yet our God did not forsake us in our bondage; but He extended mercy to us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to revive us, to repair the house of our God, to rebuild its ruins, and to give us a wall in Judah and Jerusalem."
Ezra the priest is here drawing a concluding statement that reveals God's abiding faithfulness through the ages of Israel's existence as a community of God's people.
The historical background to the Book of Ezra is estimated at between 458-444 BC. Some Bible scholars place the Exodus from Egypt at about 1300 BC. Ezra was therefore describing a millennium of God's dealing with Israel right to the time of his religious reforms (see Ezra 7:10).
The truth is that God's faithfulness is steadfast and His loving kindness is beyond measure.
As a nation, we are a sinful and rebellious people who miserably fail the standards of a holy God! We are simply preserved by His mercies.
Were it not for God's abiding grace, we would all have been consumed by His divine wrath.
There's therefore every reason to be grateful to God today, as always.
We should bear in mind that the COVID 19 pandemic would have been worse and would get worse without God's preserving mercies on us.
We learn from 1 Samuel 7 that when Israel fell into idolatry and apostasy, Samuel gave them a precondition from God. If the people abandoned their idolatry and returned to the LORD in truth, God would deliver them from the Philistines who were the archenemies of Israel.
Thankfully, the people of Israel obeyed the voice of God in this context and put away the Baals and the Ashtoreths. This was evidence of national repentance for Israel.
Samuel the prophet then called a solemn assembly at Mizpah where he led the people in spiritual restoration.
When faced with the imminence of annihilation by the Philistines, the people panicked exceedingly. The beauty of this is that they had turned to God at this point rather than to idols. They now understood that their security was anchored in God and in nothing else.
Notice the words of the people in 1 Samuel 7:8 which says, "So the children of Israel said to Samuel, “Do not cease to cry out to the Lord our God for us, that He may save us from the hand of the Philistines.”
We don't just need God's overcoming grace for a single calamity. We need His fellowship with us always.
When God said that He would not go with the people of Israel because of their stiffkneckedness, Moses earnestly pleaded with God, saying in Exodus 33:15 "If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here."
BIBLICAL FOUNDATION FOR THANKSGIVING
Now back to 1 Samuel 7...
Samuel used this opportunity not only to pray for people but to teach them a powerful lesson in thanksgiving even in the midst of adversity. It was an act of great courage in the face of an imminent attack! Samuel intimately knew the LORD and trusted Him unwaveringly even when the people walked in rebellion.
In 1 Samuel 7:12, the Bible says that Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen and called its name Ebenezer, saying "Thus far the LORD has helped us."
This statement is significant to us today as we continue to pray for divine intervention on COVID 19 pandemic and other perils.
We should not merely petition God for His mercies. We should express our gratitude to Him for His preservation so far.
Samuel recognized that God had been with Israel through their long history of struggle with the heathen nations around them. Even during the worst of times as happened in 1 Samuel 4 when the ark of the covenant was captured by the Philistines and the sons of Eli the priest were killed (1 Samuel 4), God was with Israel. They were not totally destroyed.
CONCLUSION
Our prayer for Kenya is that our people may turn away from idolatry and spiritual apostasy and worship the One and only true God.
We should be grateful that God has so far preseved us and that by His grace, He will continue to sustain us through this calamity.
At a personal level, each of us should be grateful for what God has done for us, our families and our nation in the past.
Here's why...
Consider the following (among many other reasons):
1) THAT the locusts have not caused as much destruction as was anticipated;
2) THAT the rains came in 2019 when many feared that famine was in the offing in this.
3) THAT God preseved this nation from Ebola that ravaged the Central and West African region in the recent past.
4) THAT even as we speak now, there are clear signs that the long rains have arrived!
There's so much to be thankful about...1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you" (NKJV).
No matter what happens around us, God is our Ebenezer, a stone of help. He has seen us through many perils in the past. He is faithful to preserve us going forward if we faithful turn to Him in truth.
David proclaimed in Psalm 23:4 "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me."
When Job suffered heartbreaking affliction permitted by God, his response demonstrated his spiritual maturity and fortitude. He was a man whose walk with God did not depend on the blessing he received but his convictions.
We can count on God's abiding presence and His divine preservation because of His covenant relationship with us. Job proclaims in Job 2:10 "Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?”
He went on to demonstrate his convictions in Job 1:21, "naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away;
Blessed be the name of the Lord."
The doctrine of Christian moderation is amplified in 1 Timothy 6:6-10.
Let us therefore thank God and place our unwavering trust in Him even as we present our petitions to Him.
Shalom
Rev Kimosop
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