
Yet, during this time, we see many things that would attempt to diminish this celebration of our Lord but not His honor and essence as Redeemer. Apart from the commercialization of the season, here in America, we are facing the cry for justice with the Ferguson case.
May I plead with us Christ followers on the Ferguson case, to seek the heart of God, pray tenderly as if we were on both sides and desire God’s will manifested and not man’s agenda of solution. There is injustice, there is racial bias, there are broken systems not just here in America that point to our need of a Savior. In spite of all these, we have the answer- in the Person of Jesus Christ: His ways, His truth, His life and His big heart of love for all people. If we seek the face of God, He will show up and show out on our behalf as His followers. He will move in unprecedented ways than what we have ever seen in our time. He will bring restoration and healing. Our God is the only One capable of such. After all, He is Creator and knows perfectly how to rightly solve our human problems. He has never failed at this nor lost any battle pertaining to His creation. Let us seek God and listen attentively for how He will want to use each one of us to manifest Himself to bring peace. Let us pray that God will defeat all hateful spirit at work and overcome it with the Holy Spirit of love, compassion, gentleness and kindness. Let us make our world better with the life of God that resides in us. We are Christ’s ambassadors!
Also, during this time, it is not uncommon that we start going over goals set in January to see where we are in December. In all of these situations, God is fully interested because He is all about people and manifesting Himself to each one in a way they can understand and appreciate. As you evaluate or assess yourself on those yearly goals, may I admonish you to measure yourself based on obeying God rather than your set goals? Don’t get me wrong, goals are important, but for Christ followers, obedience to God is paramount. In your assessment, ask yourself: Did I obey the Lord’s leading, His direction, the nudge of the Holy Spirit? Did I heed His warning? Did I follow through on what He showed me? Did I seek to know Him more intimately so that I may be Christ-like? Being able to answer these questions is much better assessment for living in Christ.
Samuel was a man of God who knew the difference in assessing set goals and obeying God. Read the whole chapter of I Samuel 15 to get a deeper understanding of the difference. I Samuel 15:22 provides the clear window for us today: “But Samuel replied: "Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams”. Our obedience is a better barometer in our walk with God.
For The Cause of Christ,
Dr. Johnson Obamehinti