Brethren, we are gradually moving to the end of the first of the Ember months. At a time like this, as human beings, we tend to lose hope if some of our desires have not manifested physically.
It’s human to feel that way. However, when we become conscious that we can pray that God remembers us, then it means we have hope that a Superior Being, the Almighty God can intervene in that situation that we want changed for the better.
Superstitious people in our society believe that the ember months usher in pains, lamentation, tears etc. especially if associated with a leap year.
That however is not the way that one a Christian should think. We must think positively.
Only those that focus on the positive side of life testify to the goodness of God.
We need to ask ourselves, why do we think that God has forgotten us with respect to a particular issue?
The answer is not far fetched. Anyone who has been praying and asking the LORD particularly for something that is yet to be received, has a reason to conclude that God has forgotten him.
A man of God Pastor Samson Ajetunmobi often says, “ Nothing encourages a man like answers to prayers. When a man prays and the answer comes, he likes to pray again”.
No doubt this is true but when the answer does not come, a person may begin to give up. It could get so bad that a person may begin to ask if indeed, there is a God that answers prayers.
In other words, that person’s faith becomes shaky.
As Christians indeed Believers in Christ, that is the time that such a person should be more determined and get more serious with prayers and service to God.
Brethren, the truth is no one can tell when God will answer a particular prayer. The time to answer prayer is the exclusive preserve of the Almighty God, the Creator of Heaven and Earth.
If a man of God says like Prophet Elisha said to the Shunammite woman in 2nd Kings 4 vs. 16 ( NIV) : “ About this time next year”, Elisha said , “ you will hold a son in your arms”.
Elisha said it because the Holy Spirit of God told him so. It is not because Elisha as a human being knew when God would give the woman a child.
Jesus said of the Holy Spirit in John 16 vs. 13 ( American Standard Version) : “ Howbeit when he the Spirit of truth, is come, he shall guide you into all the truth: for he shall not speak from himself; but what things soever he shall hear, these shall he speak: and he shall declare unto you the things that are to come”.
True men of God are the mouthpieces of the Holy Spirit.
The woman however said in the same verse 16: “ No my lord,” She objected. “ Don’t mislead you servant O man of God!”.
The reply of the woman to Elisha is a clear case of someone who is convinced that God has forgotten her.
She must have given up on prayer and fasting.
Let’s see what happened in verse 17 of the same chapter that concludes the discussion of Elisha and the Shunammite woman.
Verse 17:” But the woman became pregnant, and the next year about that same time she gave birth to a son, just as Elisha had told her”.
Brethren, though this woman forgot herself by concluding that she would never have a child, God remembered her for her kindness to the man of God, Elisah.
A lesson for those of us dealing with one challenge or the other is that we should never think that God has forgotten us and if we ever think this way, the next prayer point should be “ Remember Me O Lord”.
When God remembers a person the tears of sorrow would become tears of joy and at times of joy unspeakable. Joy that the testifier would be asking himself or herself, is it true that this has happened to me?
We’ll consider two persons that God remembered. Rachael and Noah.
Genesis 30 vs. 22-24 ( KJV): And God remembered Rachael, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb.
And she conceived, and bare a son; and said, God hath taken away my reproach:
And she called his name Joseph; and said, The LORD shall add to me another son”.
Note that in Rachael’s case, she didn’t give up though her rival and sister, Leah gave birth almost every year. She kept praying, hence the Bible states, “ God remembered Rachael, and God hearkened to her”.
God is more likely to remember those that keep praying, fasting, worshipping and serving him, no matter how long it takes.
The Lord hearkened unto Rachael because she didn’t stop praying. That was a case of direct intervention of the Almighty God.
My prayer for you is that God will remember you and hearken unto you as he did to Rachael before this year runs out in Jesus name.
Another person that God remembered was Noah
You are familiar with the story of how God wiped out all living things with the great flood but the LORD had instructed Noah to keep his family and some animals and birds in the ark to save them from the flood.
Genesis 8 vs. 1&2 ( KJV) “ And God remembered Noah, and every living thing and all the cattle that was with him in the ark: and God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters asswaged;
The fountains also of the deep and the windows of heaven were stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained”.
When God remembers someone, the person experiences a new beginning and the challenge is terminated.
Brethren, ask yourself if you want the Lord to remember you before the year runs out.
If you want the Lord to remember you , intensify your prayers . You may choose to add a vow or go into fasting.
Beloved when God remembers you, the Holy Spirit will move on your behalf. The Spirit will move through you and miracles would manifest.
We are taught how to get God to remember us in Psalm 106 vs. 4&5: “ Remember me , O LORD, with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people; O visit me with thy salvation;
That I may see the good of the chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of thy nation, that I may glory with thine inheritance.”.
Brethren, you can pick your prayer point from these verses.
As you ask God to remember you, you need to also ask for his favour that would bring joy into your life.
We may also remind God of his covenant with us. His covenant is in his word and this is one reason you need to study the Word if you haven’t been doing so.
In the Word, you will find the Covenant and you have a duty to begin to ask the LORD to bring it to fulfillment in your life.
Beloved God does not forget his Covenant because there is a relationship between him and the recipient.
The question is, are you in a relationship with the Lord?
You need to settle that first. Make sure you have a relationship with God then you can begin to remind him of his Covenant with you.
The Covenant of God with a person or his children is his promise that never fails provided you retain your relationship with Him.
Those that have no relationship with the LORD cannot lay claim to the fulfillment of his Covenant.
No.
God sealed a covenant with Moses that he would deliver the children of Israel from bondage.
Though they suffered for long in Egypt, God at a time sent Moses to deliver them and took them to the Promised Land as he said unto Moses.
Since God promised you children, prosperity, promotion, healing, deliverance etc. You need to study the Holy Bible to identify the exact passage where this promise was made to you .
Only then can you claim it with prayers.
Even as the year is winding down, I urge you not to give up, rather, it is period that you need to cry to God to remember you.
You also need to take steps that would make the LORD remember you .
May the LORD in his mercy remember you this season in Jesus name.
No challenge is beyond God’s solution.
Jesus is LORD!
Disclaimer
Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.