What’s in you?

I went for a meeting today with an increasingly successful person, well known in this country. She sings incredibly well and is therefore greatly used of God as a worship leader and a pastor. For some reason she thinks I am good enough to do a song with her, and I am still wondering what she’s been smoking. She has the kind of voice that makes the rest of us pretenders stick to speaking instead of singing.

So we met and she was talking about how hard it had been for her to break into the limelight, yet I have seen her in the limelight for as long as I’ve known of her. It was quite interesting to note that she had to go through so much to be where she is, and she is still increasing in her areas of expertise, notably in music.

I remembered the saying, ‘behind every glory, there is a story’. I am also writing my story, one line at a time, although I seem to be stuck in mid-sentence most of the time. Some things are so commonplace that I don’t seem to notice God working them through. Another thing is certain, I don’t seem to appreciate my own abilities, how God has specifically structured and gifted me for His ministry. Do you know what you are here for? What is your purpose on this side of eternity? Are you making suitable use of the skill-set that God integrated into your very substance? 

Once you find out that for which you were created, set out to improve it, customize it and use it for the benefit of others and the glory of God. With time, you will find that you also gain from it as a result of serving others. Those around you may advise you to look out for your own interests but Jesus taught us that in serving others are we considered to be great. All the best! 

Lions to Lambs

Genesis 33

Esau was in a foul murderous rage the last time Jacob saw him. He promised nothing but harm to his twin and had every opportunity, ability and intention of carrying out his nefarious objective. Jacob knew his brother well enough to know that he would do it, and he knew enough to know when to run. Jacob was a lot like modern-day tricksters, quick with his mind, and also quick with his feet.

Against this background, you can understand the apprehension he felt as he prepared to meet his brother, whom he expected would redirect him to his Maker. He did everything possible to tire his brother. He sent servants, flock and finally his own kin to meet his brother before he did. When they finally did meet, his brother went for his neck in a bear-hugging embrace instead of a death inducing choke hold. Jacob didn’t expect this, just as much as he didn’t expect Laban to peaceably leave him and family to go. God had tempered Esau and made him prosperous in his own right. He was no longer the wild, revenge-seeking twin robbed of his birth-right and blessing.

You are getting ready to face a lion, today, tomorrow, next week….soon. You are almost breathless in fear, yet God is currently at work tempering your adversary. God can turn that lion into a lamb, from ferocious to meek. If God could turn Esau’s heart away from murder to peace, he can turn your forthcoming test to a flying success. Begin to trust Him and to wrestle with Him in prayer. The prayer doesn’t change God; it strengthens you to believe more and more in Him. 

The Thinness of Patience

Exodus 17:1-7

Moses was between a thirsty mob and an unforgiving wilderness. The people he was leading wanted water, instantly, and he had to provide it. They had lived their entire lives near the Nile, and were used to knowing where the water would come from. Moses had, after all, spoken to them of the place they were supposed to be headed to, a land flowing with milk and honey. If this was the case, why couldn’t he just give them the water they so desperately wanted?

Moses did the one thing he had made his habit by now. He cried out to God. He gave an accurate picture of the situation they were in and God provided water from a rock. A rock! God could have caused it to rain or mysteriously diverted some faraway river to their location. Even more conventionally, He could have given them directions to the next available source of water. He did a miracle in the midst of their murmuring. He overlooked their negative attitudes and blessed them anyway. They were not worshipfully seeking His face as they asked graciously with thanksgiving for water. They were in foul spirits, complaining and murmuring and He still blessed them and catered to their needs, performing a miracle in the process.

God deals with us very graciously. If He was to deal with us according to our deeds, motives and desires, we would mostly receive punishment rather than blessing. He is extremely patient with us and He desires nothing short of our good and His glory. God’s patience is not easily worn out. Isn’t that reason to celebrate?

Evangelical Pollution

I was once part of a small band of publicity enthusiasts for a forthcoming church event. The church had organized for some of us to put posters on every available surface for a suitable fee. We were young, unemployed, full of energy and broke. Every cent counted, especially when it was earned the proper way. As we went about our business, we encountered many other posters put up on walls, telephone and electricity poles and even on the sides of people’s small kiosks. I didn’t take much issue with the fact that we were defacing someone else’s property at the time, for I hadn’t seen any place with a ‘NO POSTERS’ sign in the area.

Fast track to a few years later and the case changes. I see so many posters from so many churches and para-church organizations littering the walls, sewerage tunnels, telephone and electricity poles and many other surfaces. If we are Christians, if we are called by God to be stewards over His creation, why are we so busy making an unsightly mess? Is it right simply because other people do it too? Is this another example of the kingdom of God suffering violence and the violent taking it by force? Some may call it advertising but I call it evangelical pollution, because it is extremely rare to see people from other religions doing the same. Is it impossible to use other means to pass the word that these events are coming soon? If they must be done, and I highly doubt that this means must be used, isn’t it possible for the church leaders involved to instruct their publicity agents to pull down their posters once the event is over?

Another form of evangelical pollution comes in the form of open-air crusades. I am all for people hearing the word of God and being transformed by it, but who are we really reaching with our open air crusades? The majority of those who attend are our own church members and sympathizers who want to encourage the evangelists. In the meantime, we ignore our neighbours’ kids who are kicked out of school for school fees and hope their parents can show up for our prayer meetings.

I don’t really feel that the church in Kenya is a sweet smelling aroma to the non-Christians in the country. We are so busy being taught principles and doctrines on how to get wealth and ‘use it for the kingdom’ yet we have become reservoirs when the blessings arrive, instead of being channels. Is it any wonder that we worship God together in church on Sunday morning then go worship our politicians on Sunday afternoon? Doesn’t it worry you when sober Christians take political sides based on their hatred of a person, hatred that is brought about by misinformation and slander? How long will we tear the country apart, in the guise of protecting our own?

Creative Thinking

I have been listening to a variety of African musicians over the last few weeks. These guys know how to make beautiful music and the interesting thing is that I don’t have to understand what they are singing to appreciate it. It is as diverse as the countries they come from. Some of the music is raw African flavour while other songs have an amazing fusion of African and western rhythm. My emotions have been played with, and I watched helplessly as my heart leaped with their joy and sank with their sorrow.

I felt unaccomplished as a musician once I had listened to their music and couldn’t bring myself to sing or play anything for a few days. Comparing yourself with other people will always do that to you. I wanted to listen to my own album but thought I would be disappointed when I did, these guys are really awesome and I consider myself to be quite normal, fruits of being your own harshest critic.

I somehow managed to bring myself to listen to my own album and what I realized surprised me. I didn’t feel inadequate as a musician. I didn’t feel proud either; I know there was a lot of help received in bringing the album to birth. When I listened to the first song on my album (Shelter), I became extremely calm. I remembered that the song is inspired by Psalm 91 and Romans 8. When a song is born of scripture, it has the effect of scripture. The words of those Bible passages calmed me as if I was reading the scripture. The tune was calm and uncomplicated, not a musical masterpiece by a long shot, but quite a blessing nonetheless.

I would love to develop a signature kind of sound but I know this takes time and a lot of experimentation before it becomes a reality. The one thing I know is that irrespective of the genre and production expertise, any song born of scripture will always have a divine effect on its listener. In light of this, which songs are you listening to? What is the source of their inspiration?

Old School Grace

I have heard a lot about us being in the dispensation of grace by virtue of living in a post-Messianic era. I have read that people in the Old Testament had to offer all kinds of sacrifices to sort out their sin issues. I have been taught that Jesus became the sacrifice and that I was saved once and for all by his death and resurrection. I am assured that He is coming back someday, for His church, of which I am part.

The thing I hadn’t realized, up to a few days ago, is the fact that the grace of God has always been around. How else can you explain Abraham lying about his wife being his sister (though she actually WAS his half-sister) so that he wouldn’t be killed by his jealous neighbours on account of her beauty? How can we excuse his son Isaac’s repetition of his lie? How do we explain Rebecca and Jacob’s trickery of Isaac to steal Esau’s blessing? What would explain God choosing to love, protect and bless Jacob in spite of all his failures and treachery?

As the story of life in the first book of the Bible unravels, I see grace. I see God forgiving His people; constantly wiping away sins they didn’t even know were sins. I see Him making and keeping covenants with people whose daughters got them drunk then slept with them. I see him using the children one man got through his two wives and their servants to form the basis of the 12 tribes of Israel. I see God giving increase to Jacob’s flock even though he thought his superstition-led efforts were bearing fruit. I see God bringing forth the lineage of Jesus through the tribe of Benjamin whose mother was erstwhile barren and was responsible for stealing and concealing her father’s idols as they fled from him.

God allows so many things to go unpunished. He knows it is a long journey and He is in it for the long haul. He doesn’t take or encourage short cuts. He knows the importance of rest in between battles. He knows the strategies required to overcome insurmountable odds. He knows our areas of weakness and guides us away from danger as he trains our hands for war and our fingers for battle. He knows when to command us to attack and when to lay ambush. He knows when to pursue and when to relent. Why then, do I have such trouble trusting Him to handle my small issues?

Caught in the act – A True Story

Sharon is in a bad place. She is broke, again, and the landlord wants his rent, again. She knows a place where she can get quick money, but it is not easy money. It has a very high price, a price she isn't sure she wants to pay any more. It left her wounded the last time she paid this price. The physical part of it was too horrifying to provide any pleasure and the emotional anguish that followed was even worse. She can still feel his rough arms brushing against her naked body; his un-showered odour seems to have perpetually attached itself to her nose. He is like a part of her, every loathsome part of him. Unfortunately, he is not the only reminder of the path of life she takes. 

There are many men in her past. Some were undoubtedly pleasant; others were akin to goblins escaped from some hellish torment with orders to inflict similar atrocities on her. She needs the money, desperately. Her younger sister has been kicked out of school for the umpteenth time, only this time with instructions to either return with the entire fee balance or stay away for good. Her sister is a beautiful girl, fresh into her mid-teens, with a body beginning to take its eventual shape and men have been noticing her without trying too hard. Some of the men she had been with previously offer absurd amounts of money for Sharon to hook them up with her underage sister. She would die first before she let any of those animals within a mile of her.

Jerry is always tender with her. He takes his time and stays on later to talk once the deed is done. He seems like such a nice guy, but is married and yet makes use of her services. He is the consummate family man, loved by his kids but receiving no pleasure from his arranged-marriage wife. His wife knows of his forays into Sharon’s bosom but takes it as a side rule of the charade she has to maintain to stay within his money. She has children to think about after all. Sharon likes Jerry, very much, but is reminded of the nature of their arrangement every time he leaves the money on her table. Sadly, Jerry is a rose in a desert. Her desert has more cacti than she can handle and my do they prick her! She especially reviles Osmond, he is a brutal beast. He treats her like a truck and makes her feel like a punching bag. No part of her body is at peace whenever he is through with her, and yet he pays the best. Money from one session with Osmond can last three months, but the pain lasts just as long.

She is woken from her daydream by a gentle tap on the door. She holds her breath, fearing the worst. It has to be the landlord, a patient man whose patience she has stretched to unnerving limits by her abominable trade, incessant change of male visitors at odd hours and numerous delayed payments of the rent. The person won’t go away, and keeps knocking. She finally musters enough courage to answer the door. To her immense relief, it is Jerry. He seems a bit uncertain, not his usual confident self. He beckons to her as if to show intent to enter. She has no problem letting him in. Jerry doesn't seem to be in the mood for words today. He is here on business. He begins undressing himself and her. Soon, they are in another world, oblivious to their surroundings. For that one moment, she allows her troubles to fade away and begins to enjoy stealing another woman’s treasure, giving out her own in the same event. ‘I am so sorry’, Jerry mumbles then gets off her and stares as he opens the door to allow an angry group of men to enter the one-roomed house. She’s been set up, by Jerry, the only man she ever thought fondly of.

The mob takes her roughly by the hair, dragging her out on the streets baying for her blood. Foul-mouthed rants take to the air as her captors make a bee-line for the town square. She is numb with pain and embarrassment. She knows the law; she is dying today, by stoning. There is no room for debate and there will be no court session. She was caught in the act, and she is on the way to her demise. She tries to remember how to pray, she wants to make peace with her Maker. Whether heaven or hell, Sharon knows that she will no longer walk this earth again. In a matter of minutes, she will be in one eternal place, or another, and she has a pretty good idea which place is reserved for scum like her.

Suddenly, the mob is silenced by their leader and she looks up from the corner of her eye. She tries to scan the area for Jerry and sees him at the back, hands on his head, utterly devastated. It seems they threatened him and got him to set her up. Why would they go to all this trouble for her? There were many other more prominent ladies of the night in the area. Rosie would have been more suitable for this treatment, she had practically been with more men than she had years, and she was well into her late thirties. The mob leader starts talking, asking a question, and it is not directed to her.

“Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of adultery. In the law Moses commanded us to stone to death such women. What then do you say. The person referred to as the Teacher bends  down and writes on the ground with his finger. They persist in asking him, and he stands up straight and replies, “Whoever among you is guiltless may be the first to throw a stone at her.” Then he bends over again and writes on the ground.

 Now when they hear this, they begin to drift away one at a time, starting with the older ones, until the Teacher is left alone with her standing before him. The Teacher stands up straight and says to her, “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?” She replies, “No one, Lord.” And the Teacher says, “I do not condemn you either. Go, and from now on do not sin any more.

She walks away in amazement. Her appointment with her Maker did happen, but it did not happen on the other side of death. She did meet her Judge, but He ruled in her favor. She didn’t put up any defense, and yet He vindicates her in the light of such undeniable evidence of guilt. She had been brought to a rock concert, and she ends up standing with the Rock of Ages. One thing is sure, she is never going back to the life she lived before. She almost died because of it, yet she lives in spite of it, because of the Teacher who stood by her when everyone was against her.