Tag: faithfulness

Small Beginnings

By Ife J. Ibitayo

Christmas is less than one week away. It’s the holiday that more than two billion people circle in red ink on their calendars each year. In fact, it redefined our entire calendar system. Yet the prophesied Messiah—the ultimate chosen one—the King of Kings and Lord of Lords didn’t shuttle down to earth amongst flaming chariots and cherubic trumpet blasts. He wasn’t born to royalty or reared in a place. Rather, he was conceived in a stable, visited by shepherds, and raised in obscurity. Three long decades passed before He began His short ministry. And centuries followed before Christianity graduated from being a fringe sect of the Roman Empire to its foundational faith. Only a select few knew the promise of the baby lying in a feeding trough that fateful Christmas night.

Small Seeds, Enormous Trees

This pattern is not relegated to Jesus’ birth; it’s a core element of God’s kingdom. During the middle of His earthly ministry, Jesus said “the kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed…though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches” (Matthew 13:31, 32).

To illustrate this point, I’d like to share a story: In the early 1900s, a medical missionary named William Leslie lived and worked amongst the tribes in a remote corner of the Democratic Republic of Congo. After nearly twenty years of hard work, dedication, and sacrifice, he had a falling out with some of the tribal leaders and was asked never to return. He returned to the United States and died less than a decade later believing he’d never made a significant impact among the Congolese people.

However, a century later, a group of American missionaries traveled to that same region and found a network of faithful, reproducing churches that traced their origins to Leslie’s time there. Thousands came to faith because of the faithfulness of this one man.

So too in our own lives, God may have given us a seed to nurture. The class we teach, the small business we operate, or the single child we rear, may seem like a calling too insignificant to matter in the long run. But God says, “‘Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin,” (Zechariah 4:10a). He is the God of small beginnings, and He enjoys transforming our small seeds into enormous trees.

Conclusion

The wonder of Christmas is not simply that God came down to earth. He’s done so many times throughout history, and His people shuddered in fear (Hebrews 12:18-21). Rather, it’s that God chose to come down in smallness, as a baby, in a manger born to a disgraced teenage girl and a poor carpenter. And from that lowly starting point, our world was changed forever.

“The angel answered [Mary], ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.”

(Luke 1:35-37)

Death, Taxes, and Setbacks

By Ife J. Ibitayo

Benjamin Franklin famously claimed there are only two certainties in life—death and taxes. But I’d like to posit one more: setbacks. And put simply, setbacks suck. They suck the joy out of our day, the wind out of our sails, and the life out of our bodies. When our company lays us off or our girlfriend suggests we “take a break” or our long-awaited callback never comes, we can be driven to despair. With tears streaming down our faces, we may ask, “God, where are you?”

Death

My most recent setback made me think of the story of Lazarus. This man was one of Jesus’ closest friends when He walked here on this earth. But when his sisters, Mary and Martha, told Him “the one whom He loved was sick” (John 11:3), He waited, He lingered, and He delayed. By the time He arrived on the scene, the man was already dead.

Martha confronted Jesus and cried, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” In response, Jesus said, “Your brother will rise again.” And Martha replied, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day” (John 11:21-24). In other words, “Eventually, You will make this right.”

God tells us that He is in control. He was at the beginning, and He knows the ending. And Romans 8:28 says that “all things work together for the good of those who love Him.” But often it can be all too tempting to hedge this promise with the word “eventually”.

Taxes

It’s kind of like when the IRS takes too much money out of our paycheck so they make it up to us in our tax return the following year. Similarly, some of us might believe God has written us an eternal IOU–to be paid after we die. Maybe after this life, in the sum balance of things, we will appreciate this point of pain. But at this moment, it feels like God has forgotten that we’re still among the living.

But Jesus challenged Martha to enter into an even deeper level of faith by telling her “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25). Then He asked her to roll away the stone where Lazarus’s body was laid. In other words, He was asking her to have faith not just for the ending somewhere out there but also for the middle right here and now.

Life Beyond Setbacks

God is a God of detail. The Old Testament is full of chapter upon chapter detailing the minutia of God’s dwelling places here on earth, the garments of His earthly priests, and the hundreds of ceremonial laws God had in place for the Jewish people. And this detail extends to us. When Jesus said that “even the very hairs of our heads are all numbered,” (Matthew 10:30), He was not pointing out an OCD fixation of the godhead. He was demonstrating that God cares about the details even we tend to overlook.

The same applies to God’s plans for our lives. God told the prophet Jeremiah, “I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11). God knew about that bombed interview, accounted for that failed exam, and prepared for that missed flight long before we even existed. Our moments of misfortune cannot negate the unfailing promises God has in store for us, or else He’d cease to be God.

Remind, Rely, and Rejoice

So, what do we do in the midst of setbacks? We remind, rely, and rejoice.

First, we remind ourselves of God’s faithfulness in the past because we will forget. Our brains have a well-known tendency to deeply imprint negative experiences and neglect positive ones called negativity bias. Therefore, we must actively work to call to mind those moments in the past when God came through for us.

Secondly, we must rely on God to guide us past our setbacks. One of my favorite verses in all of Scripture comes from the book of 1 Kings. In the middle of a war between the Israelites and a fierce rival of theirs at that time called the Arameans, God said, “Because the Arameans think the Lord is a god of the hills and not of the valleys, I will deliver all this great army into your hand” (1 Kings 20:28). Sometimes we fall into this same fallacy. We claim God’s provision in our triumphs but we neglect His grace in our setbacks. God is with us both on the hills and in the valleys.

And lastly, but possibly most important of all, we must rejoice during our difficulties. The gospel singer Marvin Sapp has a song called “Praise Him in Advance” that begins with these words:

I’ve had my share of ups and downs,

Times when there was no one around,

God came and spoke these words to me,

Praise will confuse the enemy.

It confuses the enemy because most of us tend to base our happiness on our present circumstances. If times are good, we praise God, but when they’re bad, we doubt Him. But thanksgiving has the power to turn our focus from our problems and our pain to God’s power and God’s plan.

Conclusion

Setbacks may be inevitable but so is the Lord’s provision. The Word says, “The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand” (Psalm 37:23-24). Our heavenly Father gives us permission to admit we may not be quite perfect yet. We can confidently trip our way through life because He’s holding us up. He’s been holding our hand from the day we were born, and He will continue to do so until the day we die.

“The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
(Deuteronomy 31:8)

Abide in Me

By Ife J. Ibitayo

A couple weeks ago, I heard a powerful message about “Abiding in the Presence” of God. Before His death on the cross, Jesus commanded His disciples, “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me” (John 15:4). In essence, Jesus said there is one thing you must do in order to live a fruitful life: Abide in Him. Hearing that simple charge, I was pumped. If I can check off the “Abide in Jesus” box each day, I’ll be good to go. But then I realized, I have no idea what “abiding in Christ” really means.

So resorting to the same measures as any other proselyte, I dug into Thayer’s Greek Lexicon. And I discovered the manifold richness captured in this puzzling world.

Abiding is Lodging

First, to abide means “to lodge somewhere, to tarry as a guest.” I.e. abiding means to make a place home. As a child that moved as often as an All American military brat, I struggled to call any place home. My home was never a particular house or neighborhood. Rather, it was the faith I carried with me and used to orient myself wherever I lived. So my first order of business every time I move is to find a church to get plugged into. It provides an old sense of familiarity in a bewildering new environment.

Abiding is Remaining

Secondly, to abide means “to remain as one thing and not become something different.” Coming to LA, there are so many things I want to do and so many me’s I want to be. I’m a student, an author, an entrepreneur, a wannabe socialite and many other labels that I’m trying on for size like fall sweaters. And I often find myself frustrated as I attempt to disentangle my overscheduled, conflict-ridden calendar. But God says, “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let Me transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know My will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect” (Romans 12:2). Just because I’m in Rome doesn’t mean I have to do as the Romans do. My residency is still in Christ no matter what city I move to.

Abiding is Enduring

Lastly, to abide means “to endure through time.” I’ve only been in this new city a couple months, yet I’ve already found myself wondering if I should throw in the towel. I already have so much to do and so little energy left to finish it all. But that is why Jesus went on to say, “Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:6).

Just as my Apple Watch is useless unless it retains its Bluetooth connection with my iPhone, I am useless unless I retain my spiritual connection with Jesus. We have little capacity because we were never meant to be reservoirs. God is the source. Rather, we’re meant to be conduits, and a conduit can only remain useful if it stays connected to its source.

Abiding is Obeying

Jesus said, “Abide in my love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love” (John 15:9-10). The outworking of the super spiritual word “abide” is culminated in the very practical word “obey.” When we love God and love others, we walk in closest communion with Him. And from those seeds of obedience will surely grow the fruit of faithfulness.

New Problems, Same God

By Ife J. Ibitayo

Last Monday, I found myself perched uncomfortably on a hospital bed. A woman in a black dress strutted in and took a seat across the room from me. She glanced my way and casually said, “You might have had a heart attack.”

With a sheet of paper in my hands with obscure lines traced across it and a sticky note referral to a cardiologist, I realized I was back in my car. I gripped my steering wheel, fighting back tears. But the dam broke, and I wept bitterly, “Not again! Lord, please let this not be happening all over again!” I’ve had petty problems and big problems, but now it seems that every new year I collide face-first with a new problem. But then God brought to my mind a Bible story I’d read just that morning.

Old Problems

King Hezekiah was one of Judah’s last good kings. He demolished idols and defeated nations leading to spiritual and economic revival. But during his reign, the mighty Assyrian empire ransacked the northern kingdom of Israel and set its sights on the southern kingdom of Judah. It captured every fortified city in Judah besides Jerusalem (Isaiah 36). And on top of all that, King Hezekiah fell fatally ill and was told by the prophet Isaiah that he was going to die (Isaiah 38:1). In the middle of his grief, King Hezekiah made a passionate plea to the LORD for his life, and God sent Isaiah back to the king with this message, “‘I have heard your prayer. I have seen your tears. Behold, I will add fifteen years to your life’” (Isaiah 38:5).

This was the verse that God brought to my mind. He told me sitting there in my car crying in that hospital driveway, “‘I have heard your prayer. I have seen your tears. Behold, I will add fifteen years to your life.’”

Same God

Later that day, I made a call to the cardiologist, and they were able to slot me in for a visit at the end of the week (a mini-miracle in and of itself). And by Friday’s end, I was walking out of another hospital, but this time I had a smile on my face and a fresh lease on life. The same God who was faithful to King Hezekiah has been faithful to me.

God taught me that His promises don’t come with an expiration date. They never go bad. The same promises He made thousands of years ago, He is faithful to keep today. Because God doesn’t change, neither do His promises.

“‘The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever.'”

(Isaiah 40:8)

My Extraordinary Ordinary Father

By Ife J. Ibitayo

Dedicated to my father—I am so grateful to be your son.

Every Saturday morning growing up, I was awoken by the sound of a basketball caroming off a hoop. It was the sound of my dad practicing his special double-handed overhead shot.  Most of the time I’d hop out of bed and run downstairs to join him. But sometimes I’d roll over, dig my head into my pillowcase, and try to go back to sleep. But regardless of how I responded, I knew that every Saturday morning my father would be shooting hoops in our driveway.

It wasn’t until I was older that I found out my dad wasn’t training for the NBA combine. He didn’t like basketball and knew that he’d never be good at it. But he would go out there every weekend hoping to connecting with my older brother and me.

Extraordinary

My father is extraordinary. He started his life in his America in his thirties with a wife and a baby boy. Despite his college degree from Nigeria, he worked a menial job for years as he earned an American graduate degree.

 My parents slept on a mattress on the floor in a one-bedroom apartment. They lived paycheck to paycheck and depended on WIC to make ends meet. They endured hundreds of stressful days and countless sleepless nights until they finally broke through. And we arrived in the suburbs with a two-story house, a swimming pool, and a basketball hoop.

Ordinary

But I don’t appreciate my dad just because of one extraordinary act of his. As Rome wasn’t built in one day, neither was our loving family. As I mentioned earlier, every week we’d play basketball together. Every week we’d go to church together. And every week we’d share a meal together.

These ordinary, seemingly mundane events formed the sturdy foundation of my childhood. I knew my father loved me because he was always there for me. And even when he traveled for weeks on end, I knew that when he returned, we’d pick right back up where we’d left off.

Conclusion

Proverbs 19:14 says, “Fathers can give their sons an inheritance of houses and wealth, but only the LORD can give an understanding wife.” But an understanding father is also a gift from God. God gave me a father who’s left me with much more than houses or wealth: He’s given me love, and all the wealth in the world can’t compare with that.

“A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children.”

Proverbs 13:22a

Remembered Sin or Resurrected Faith (Life After Death Pt. 1)

By Ife J. Ibitayo

Death is the last villain–the final boss–in the story of our lives. Death is guaranteed for all of us, but second life is not. Resurrection is as rare as unicorns, so whenever God rescues someone from the dead, He is clearly trying to send us a message.

Remembered Sin

During the middle of a famine, Elijah—the greatest prophet of the Old Testament—was sent to live with a widow. Her son died soon after he arrived. She railed against Elijah, “‘O man of God, what have you done to me? Have you come here to point out my sins and kill my son’” (1 Kings 17:18 NLT)?

God has baked into our bones the knowledge of our own sinfulness. And when tragedy strikes, we often believe that we’re receiving our just deserts. Maybe your parents divorced and you think that if you had only been a better daughter, they might have stayed together. Maybe you have a friend who committed suicide and you wonder if you would have been able to save them if only you had cared enough to call. Maybe you’re sifting through the ruins of your own troubled life and you can’t stop seeing all the little bombs you set—the TNT of immaturity and the C-4 of pride.

This widow knew the darkness of her own heart and believed her day of reckoning had come.

Resurrected Faith

But God had a better word for her. Elijah whisked off the corpse and cried out to the LORD. The prayer of God’s righteous saints has great power while its working (James 5:16): to heal, to restore, and yes, even to raise the dead. Elijah cried out to God, and God reached down to him and restored the life of the boy he was praying over (1 Kings 17:19-22).

When Elijah returned the revived son to his mother, he said, ‘Look, your son is alive!’ Then the woman said to Elijah, ‘Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the Lord from your mouth is the truth’” (1 Kings 17:24). The point of the death of the widow’s son was not to emphasize her sinfulness but to strengthen her faith.

Forgotten Miracle

Yet the widow’s son had been on the verge of death once before. A few Bible verses earlier, this same widow had been preparing the last supper for her family. Using the last of the flour in her house, they were going to eat and die (1 Kings 17:12).
But then Elijah showed up on her doorstep and gave her a word from God: “‘“There will always be flour and olive oil left in your containers until the time when the Lord sends rain and the crows grow again”’” (1 Kings 17:14 NLT)!

They were living off this very miracle when the widow’s son fell ill. God’s word had already proven true while the widow’s son was still alive, yet it took his death for her to be fully convinced.

Conclusion

We will be tempted to forget God’s faithfulness from yesterday if tragedy strikes close to home tomorrow. But don’t let the miraculous grow mundane in your life. Don’t let fear override faith. Remember that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8), and every word He speaks is true.

“Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise His holy name. Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things He does for me. He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!”

(Psalm 103:1-5 NLT)

The Quenching Tsunami and the Purifying Fire (Broken Hallelujah Pt. 4)

By Ife J. Ibitayo

For Part 1 on “A Foundation of Rejoicing and Regret”, click here; Part 2 on “Expecting Much but Finding Little”, click here; Part 3 on “A Tearful Thanksgiving”, click here.

The book of Psalms is the Christian poster child of the Thanksgiving season. These poems have greatly cheered my soul and contain rich wisdom for us during this holiday season.

A Faithful God

In Psalm 89, a psalmist named Ethan the Ezrahite extols the faithfulness of God: “I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever; with my mouth I will make Your faithfulness known through all generations…. ‘I have found David My servant; with My sacred oil I have anointed him… I will maintain My love to him forever, and My covenant with him will never fail’” (Psalm 89:1, 20, 28 NIV).

The psalmist rejoiced in the LORD’s unchanging character. God promised that He’d be with the Israelites and with their king, David. He vowed they’d be His people and He’d be their God forever (2 Samuel 7:24).

A Quenching Tsunami

Yet the psalmist’s joy was quenched by the harsh tsunami of reality: “But You have rejected, You have spurned, You have been very angry with Your anointed one…How long, Lord? Will you hide yourself forever? How long will Your wrath burn like fire…Lord, where is Your former great love, which in Your faithfulness You swore to David” (Psalm 89:38, 46, 49 NIV)?

Many of us may share this same sentiment. We live in a nation known for the blessing of the LORD, yet America is being ravaged by a resurgent virus. God seems to be pouring out His wrath full blast upon us. Where is His right hand of blessing, His strong arm of salvation, the comfort of His presence? Where is His faithfulness?

A Healing Punishment

Bridging the psalmist’s song of praise and his lament of sorrow are these four verses: “If his children forsake My law and do not walk according to My rules, if they violate My statutes and do not keep My commandments, then I will punish their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stripes, but I will not remove from him My steadfast love or be false to My faithfulness” (Psalm 89:30-33 ESV).

Discipline is never welcome. A child will never thank their parents for being grounded, and a driver will never thank a cop for a speeding ticket. But its these very punishments that can heal our destructive habits. Judgment can sometimes be the only way to save us from ourselves.

Conclusion

Psalm 89 ends with “Praise be to the Lord forever! Amen and Amen” (Psalm 89:52 NIV). These words may seem misplaced, but they are truly fitting. The end result of a lesson well learned should be gratitude. The fire of discipline may be agonizing, but there is a bright future ahead for those who endure the flame.

“And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said, ‘My child, don’t make light of the LORD’s discipline, and don’t give up when he corrects you. For the LORD disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.’”

(Hebrews 12:5-6 NLT)