The LW Blog

As usual, every minute of my day always presents me with an opportunity to learn a lesson or two. The most interesting thing is that these lessons happen in the most unexpected moments, and through the most unexpected messengers. My latest lesson happened at the supermarket, delivered to me by a cute, little, startlingly adorable not-more-than-3-years-old-boy. He had this mop of shockingly black hair, nicely trimmed to elegantly sit on his tiny head. I have to admit that when I first saw him, my first instinct was to run my fingers through his hair......Digressing again! I knooooow....

Anyway, this young angel found me on the isle where you find coffee, tea, etc. Since I was not buying the entire supermarket, I'd taken the small trolley, which was low enough for the youngling to comfortably put his hand in it to pick stuff. For some odd reason, the one thing that attracted him was a can of Serengeti Coffee, which he gleefully took with him. His dad was not so far from where this drama was unfolding, and so he just came and took the can from the boy. As expected, the cute little boy wasn't amused and so he started crying. The dad calmed him down and tried to explain to him that coffee isn't good for kids, and instead he would get him something better, something that would help him grow. With those words, the father took his son's little hand and led him to a row full of drinking chocolate, where he told him to pick the biggest. The boy stopped crying and picked some drinking chocolate, though you could see he wasn't amused by his dad's choice..... Funny! 

For a minute there I forgot what I was doing in that supermarket and was taken back to times when I've wanted something so bad that I'd be willing to do crazy things to get it....(as long as they are legal). Fortunately, my Father is always watching me and because He knows what the repercussions would be, He steps in to stop me in time before I go ahead and mess myself up. Sometimes He does this by making it impossible for me to get what I want, or by using someone else to convey the message to me in person. However, I don't always listen to Him and as a result........... (fill in the blanks)

Like in the case of this boy, his father knew coffee isn't good for his health and so he picked what he knows without a doubt would be best for his son. Not only that, he gave it to Him in a bigger container! And what's more, he paid for it himself because needless to say, the boy had no money. That is exactly what God does.... he offers us the opportunity to trade the wrong stuff for what He knows is right for us, but so often than not we are so stubborn and think we know better than He does..... Half the time the things we go through are as a result of simply being big-headed and thinking we could handle stuff on our own; at least for me anyway.

You are probably in this situation, where you are holding "coffee" in your hands but God is clearly telling you to drop that tin and follow Him to the "Drinking Chocolate" section. Your coffee could be that new job or that promotion you so badly want and are ready to sell your soul to get it. Please don't go through with it; God has something better and bigger for you, if only you will adhere to his instructions. If you follow his lead, you will not need to bribe your way to the promotion.

Young lady, how about that business you've been eyeing since the year begun, but you are being taken round in circles by the procurement boss? Its not that he wants money from you, but he wants a chance to take you to bed and use you to boost his ego..... is that money really worth it? One thing I know for sure is that if you say no to his advances and choose to forget that deal, God will step in and give you something better, either in that same company or elsewhere. He is a master planner but we are so impatient as human beings that we don't wait to see Him in action.

Speaking of impatience, some of us women have ended up making very wrong relationship decision simply because we are afraid the biological clock is ticking. You are almost clocking forty (40) and so your chances of having babies, and as a result, you end up falling into the arms of the wrong guy. Deep within yourself you know God has somehow indicated to you that the guy is not the right choice for you but you still go ahead with your plans.... so why complain to God when he starts using you as a door mat, a punching bag and a slave? God gave you the heads up, didn't He? Fortunately though, God is not like a man; He is merciful and forgiving, and though he will let you go through some hardships in that relationship, eventually you will learn lessons that you would otherwise never have learnt. In short, Romans 8:28 will become alive in your life!

Clearly, we are not the only ones who suffer because of lack of obedience. In the Bible, we see several instances of people who faced God's wrath due to disobedience. For instance, remember Lot's wife? She turned into a pillar of salt after she looked back, having been clearly instructed not to look back....(Read the story in Genesis 19). Remember the children of Israel? They were forced to stay for forty (40) years in the wilderness for disobeying God's servant... (Read the story in Joshua 5). While those who disobey Him get purnished, those who obey Him get rewarded. Abraham obeyed His request to offer his only son Isaac as a sacrife. Without questioning His motives Abraham did so and the rest as we say was history... (story can be found in Genesis 22). Noah obeyed God's instructions to build an Ark and his life was saved when the floods finally came.....(Genesis Chapter 6 - 9).

God is a just God. He honor's His word and cannot be swayed or bribed like the judges and magistrates of this world. If only we can learn to be obedient to His instructions, then life would be alot easier for all of us..... but as human beings, obedience and faith don't come easy....we need to work on getting those virtues right.

So, the next time God takes away the coffee tin from our hands, let's not argue with Him.... He knows what's best for us. And He will give it to us in a larger measure...