MEMORISE:
And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon
Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh
instead thereof Genesis 2:21
READ: Genesis 2:21-22
21 And
the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and
he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;
22 And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Joshua 10-11 & Jeremiah 44:20-30
MESSAGE
From experience, we know of a truth that God answers prayers. lt is
also common knowledge among those who walk with God that on several
occasions, despite consistent prayers, God may take His time before
intervening in a given situation. In fact, in some cases, He may allow
the situation to deteriorate to its extreme limits before He steps in.
This was the experience of Mary and Martha, sisters to Lazarus (John
11:1-6). Why would God wait until you are completely helpless before He
turns things around? It could be because He does not want you to tamper
with what He is about to do. When a doctor wants to perform an
operation, he puts his patient to sleep. When God was about to form Eve
out of Adam, He put him into a deep sleep. Genesis 2:21 says,
"And
the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam and he slept: and he
took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof."
Do you know that God still likes to do some great things without any
contribution or interference from us? Sometimes, He may allow us to get
to a point of helplessness before He moves in to begin His work. He
wants you to be absolutely surrendered to Him so that when He begins to
do what He wants to do, you will not consider your own ideas. If you are
ever so self-willed, you may need to visit the bus stop of helplessness
repeatedly, but if you are completely yielded to Him, this may not
occur too often in your life. How submissive are you to God?
Similarly, God may take His time before coming to your aid because it is
in those extreme moments that prayers are said from the depth of the
soul (1 Samuel 1:15). When you are totally helpless, you will pray from
your heart and not from your head. In Matthew 15:21-28, when the woman
whose daughter was grievously tormented of the devil came to Jesus
asking for help, the Lord ignored her, and the disciples asked that she
be sent away because she was too noisy. The woman simply said, "You
haven't heard any noise yet. Whether you like it or not, I am not
leaving here without my miracle." Then the Lord said to her, III cannot
give the children's bread to dogs." She said, "Fine, l agree l am a dog,
but this dog is going to get her miracle today." Since she had no
alternative, she knew she had reached her last bus stop, and she refused
to give up. People who are totally helpless pray a different kind of
prayer compared to those who have alternatives. Whatever your needs may
be today, as you ask God, He will answer you in Jesus' Name. Have you
reached your flnal bus stop? ls Jesus Christ your last hope, or do you
have other alternatives?
ACTION POINT:
Some delays are in your best interest. Ask God to make every delay to work in your favour.
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 1:
MY FAITH LOOKS UP TO THEE
1. My faith looks up to Thee,
Thou Lamb of Calvary,
Saviour divine!
Now hear me while I pray,
Take all my guilt away,
Oh, let me from this day
Be wholly Thine!
2. May Thy rich grace impart
Strength to my fainting heart,
My zeal inspire!
As Thou hast died for me,
Oh, may my love to Thee
Pure, warm, and changeless be,
A living fire!
3. While life’s dark maze I tread,
And griefs around me spread,
Be Thou my guide;
Bid darkness turn to day,
Wipe sorrow’s tears away,
Nor let me ever stray
From Thee aside.
4.When life’s swift race is run,
Death’s cold work almost done
Be near to me.
Blest Saviour, then in love,
Fear and distrust remove;
Oh, bear me safe above,
A ransomed soul!
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