Stand

It was heart lifting reading your beautiful emails again. I was encouraged by your testimonies of how good God has been to you. Someone got a writing contract, another had a baby, a broken marriage was restored and there were lots of scholarships and jobs. Yet I also got prayer requests that highlighted the year has not been all that great for everyone. If you are still praying for the Lord to touch you this year, then this piece is for you. Stand.

What Have I Done Wrong?

David’s crime was that he brought deliverance to Israel. Where the mighty army of Israel had failed to fight and win, a Shepherd boy dared to take God at His word and do exploits. David defeated the Philistines. For this, he earned the wrath of the most powerful man on earth at the time – King Saul. The women sang “Saul killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands”. This song aroused Saul’s angst and set him on a course to murder David. I imagine David thinking, what have I done wrong, but risk my life for Israel? Instead of getting a wife and the King’s confidence as I was promised for my bravery, I got His wrath instead. And while David did have his moments of fear (He sent his parents to the King of Moab for safe keeping, saying: “till I know what God will do for me” 1 Sam 22:3), he did stand. Through the many attempts at his life, though it took many years, David stayed standing till he became King.

Stand Today

There’s a great anthem penned by Pastor Donnie McClurkin which asks, “what do you do when you’ve done all you can…”just stand”. The year may not have panned out the way you wanted it to, but stand. Through the loss of a family member, the loss of income, stand. Though your spouse walked out on you in your time of deepest need, please stand. Through unpaid school fees, and that nagging feeling that because you are in your late 30’s, your natural clock is running out, stand. Whether you are under employed and knee deep in debt or a heart disease is keeping you up at night, God is asking you to stand today. You’ve prayed, you’ve obeyed Him, you are saved, you’ve consulted the word, you’ve done your part. Now you must stand and watch Him do His. Don’t fail now, don’t collapse now… just stand.