What are you expecting Week 2, 2013

Why are you weeping and crying? What’s the matter? It’s my husband. He suddenly has been having attacks of strange illness. He has always been the strong and healthy one. And my son has lost his job for over a year now. It seems my whole family keeps having one problem or the other. Someone has said life is all about solving problems. The Lord is your strength... why are you shaking your head? Did I say something wrong? Look I have served the Lord faithfully. I fast and pray. I spend time immersing myself in messages and keep confessing the word. Why all this manifesting? Please, sir, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all his wonderful deeds that our fathers recounted to us..? Jdg 6:13(ESV). What has really been your expectation in serving God faithfully and believing in Him? I should live a trouble –free life.... at least His protection from all harassment and danger. I was a father to the needy, and I searched out the cause of him whom I did not know. Then I thought, 'I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the sand, Job 29:16, 18(ESV). Ah! Are you more dedicated, committed and obedient than Joseph Mary’s husband? Joseph was a man who always did what was right Mat 1:19(GNB) Why are you drawing attention to him? Consider a man found worthy to be the foster-father of the Lord. Was he not compelled to flee from Israel? A man who had to relocate to Bethlehem under difficult conditions by reason of Mary’s pregnancy now had to relocate to a different country entirely, traveling at night. God did not prevent Herod from seeking to kill the child. In fact I would have thought the Divine would have just said to Herod, “Dare it and I will deal with you!” but no: Herod does seek to kill the Christ-child and all God says is “Run away and hide”, until Herod dies. Joseph got up, took the child and his mother, and left during the night for Egypt, where he stayed until Herod died Mat 2:1415(GNB) But did it not happen simply to fulfil scripture? This was done to make come true what the Lord had said through the prophet, "I called my Son out of Egypt. Mat 2:15(GNB) Is that the normal thing in Christian living? Ah, how apt the comparison. It is for your training that you undergo these things; God is acting to you as a father does to his sons Heb 12:7(BBE) Our love and dedication will not on this side of eternity prevent challenges and difficulties from coming our way. But in all of them we can be sure of His presence and grace. No height of spirituality makes a believer face no challenge on earth.