REFUGE

Come, my people, enter into the Chambers, and shut the door about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be over past.  Isaiah 26:20.

Where can we hide from the noise, chaos, and pestilence? Well, the answer to that is quite simple - seek refuge in God. 

Evil is indeed escalating. It's baffling how we got to the point where it becomes strange not to do the wrong thing. People have lost faith in goodness because it seems as though evildoing is prevailing. Natural disasters invade the earth, wrecking havoc on humanity. Fires burning habitats leaving a city once glorious with beauty and splendor to ashes of pain and despair. Heavy and unusual downpour of rain flooding our homes, workplaces, religious places which sometimes claim lives and properties. Need I mention the pestilence that grips the world with fear of the unknown. People are devastated and depressed, suicidal thoughts and acts are on the increase, there's an alarming rate of substance abuse in the name of easing the tension, confused leaders traumatized in search for a solution. The question is, how can we keep hope alive?

Our hope is found in the finished work of  Christ. It is the finished work of Christ on the cross that gives us hope for a better tomorrow. God's sacrifice on the cross is the ultimate assurance we have for survival "Christ hath redeemed us from the course of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree" (Galatians 3:13).

The cross doesn't segregate or discriminate. It's not a place of condemnation rather a place of refuge(Psalm 91). It is an epitome of God's divine love. The cross conquers sin and death. The cross is the symbol of God's eternal convenant with His Son for the remission of our sins. Christ made Himself a substitute for humanity so we could be free from the shackles of fear(Hevrews2:14-15). The cross stands to eradicate fear, pain, confusion, and depression. The cross is always available, all we have to do is reach out and receive the blessings there in.

The reason for so much evil acts is that we haven't come to grasp the efficacy of the cross. Some people doubt that a wooden cross could provide hope, healing, deliverance, breakthrough, and protection. They find it hard to understand that we can receive such great benefits by just believing. The truth is, the love and mercy of the Lord is something our minds can't fathom. We've all been accustomed with the selfish human nature of give and take. It is thus quite hard to comprehend the selfless love of God that we should believe and then receive(no efforts needed--Christ paid it all). 

With recent happenings, it's obvious that science, ammunitions, and man's wisdom have failed. Even the so-called "security men" are scared of the unknown(Psalm 127:1-2). Scientists are desperate as ever in search for a permanent solution. Fear is escalating and hope diminishing. Do not fret, there's a room on the cross for you, all you need is to believe and embrace the cross; it will take away your fear, pain, confusion and depression. One thing I can assure you is that God never fails. Cheer up friends, we have hope in this seemingly hopeless situation.

INVESTED LIFE

Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. John 12:24.

Life is the aspect of existence that processes, acts, reacts, evaluates, and evolves through growth. Life is the quality that distinguishes a vital and functional being from a dead body. It is the sequence of physical and mental experiences that make up the existence of an individual. 

Life as we know comes with its ups and downs. Life brings us as many joyful moments as it does sadness. Life isn't a bed of roses it's actually a bed of opportunities that people sometimes fail to see.

One should never underestimate the brevity of life. We all have a stipulated time of existence. Sadly, some people think they still have enough time obscured of the fact that time waits for no one. Time is a nonspatial continuum that's measured in terms of events which succeed one another from past through present to future. Time is constant, it doesn't halt so we can pull ourselves together. Man has a maximum average of 70-90 years, the prime of life is between 30-60. If the prime of life is misused it would be total waste of the resources(life) given. 

Life is a resource God gave us to live out His purpose. We were saved to save others. Overtime I've come to realize that the best way to live is to die, not like physical death but dieing to selfish interests and desires. We were never designed to live for ourselves only. Life is a cycle of selfless service - your deliverance should deliver others, your wealth should enrich others, your success should include the success of others, your salvation should save others, your intellects should boost the intellectual quotient of others. No one truly lives without pleasing God and serving humanity. 

Greatness is not defined by how long you've existed. Life is not in its duration but in its donation. You're not relevant because of how long you lived but how effective you lived. Life without impact is underrated. No one celebrates nothing. We must deliberately invest in the lives of others. Your life is precious, make it count in our world today.