Your Refreshing Daily Devotional

I was privileged to attend the Night of Tributes and Songs in honour of the late Reverend (Dr.) Uma Ukpai in March this year. In his lifetime, he bestrode the world with the gospel of Jesus with signs and wonders. He was also a great unifying factor in the Body of Christ. He played a major role in the founding of Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria. In one of his last public outings before his death, he encouraged people to know God personally and experientially. Among several things that he said on that day was the remark he made about himself: “I have passed the test.” It wasn’t long after that when he died.

Staying watchful is the hallmark of a pilgrim’s life…wise people prepared for their exit. It is neither a manifestation of wisdom nor of faith not to prepare for the final day. We should all aspire to be able to say in our last hour, “I have passed the test.”

Staying watchful is the hallmark of a pilgrim’s life. This is because we do not know the day of the Lord’s return. I know some skeptics who told me that from childhood they were told of the return of Jesus, yet He has not appeared. The fact remains that even if He does not come in our lifetime, we will someday depart this earth. This also calls for as much watchfulness as watching for His return, since we have no clue of the day or hour it might occur. In our text, Isaac stressed that he did not know the day of his death. He therefore did what was needful. All through scriptures you will find that wise people prepared for their exit. It is neither a manifestation of wisdom nor of faith not to prepare for the final day. We should all aspire to be able to say in our last hour, “I have passed the test.”

In our previous meditation, we learned that the pathway to a glorious destiny is to follow divine pattern. What we need to add is that understanding the pattern to work with can only come by leaning on God. When David hatched his plan to build a temple for God, he probably felt that would earn him a commendation. Had he proceeded with it, he would have added to his already impressive profile. That would have appeared as making progress spiritually both for him and the people of Israel. However, he was stopped in his track. God told him to leave off the building of the temple to his son. As we walk with God, we will understand that progress is not just moving forward. It is possible to move forward in a wrong direction. Whatever is expended in such direction will be frivolous and without any merit.

…progress is not just moving forward. It is possible to move forward in a wrong direction. Whatever is expended in such direction will be frivolous and without any merit…We are called to a life of daily trusting in His grace.

David received the message in good spirit, knowing that whatever is done without divine warrant cannot be blessed. David earned a special commendation from God because he always sought to know His mind: “And when he had removed him, he raised up for them David as king; to whom also he gave testimony and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will” (Acts 13:22). All through his life, David kept probing what the mind of the Lord was on every occasion. That was why he finished well. Some people begin well because they lean on God totally to know His mind only to develop independent mindset later on. We are called to a life of daily trusting in His grace.

In the Old Testament, we have three examples of men who built some things for God. Noah built the ark; Moses, the tabernacle; and Solomon, the temple. One thing was common to all of them — pattern. In both architecture and engineering, patterns are of extreme importance. These professions deal with building. Happily, the Bible describes God as the builder of all things. So patterns are crucial in His scheme. God commanded Noah to build an ark before the flood. He did not leave anything to chance, but gave him details of height, length, and breadth of the ark. He even specified that the ark be built with gopher wood. When Moses was to build the tabernacle, He did not leave it to his imagination either.

…if God had a pattern for a physical temple, He certainly does for spiritual temples as well. The way to gun for glory is to follow whatever pattern He gives.

Finally, the temple also had detailed pattern. 1 Chronicles 28:12-13 says, “And the pattern of all that he had by the spirit, of the courts of the house of the LORD, and of all the chambers round about, of the treasuries of the house of God, and of the treasuries of the dedicated things: Also for the courses of the priests and the Levites, and for all the work of the service of the house of the LORD, and for all the vessels of service in the house of the LORD.” (KJV). It must be stressed that we are called the temples of God. Therefore, if God had a pattern for a physical temple, He certainly does for spiritual temples as well. The way to gun for glory is to follow whatever pattern He gives.

Proverbs 22:3 says, “A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself, But the simple pass on and are punished.” This is a good way to understand our text. When the Bible says that a wise man’s eyes are in his head, it simply states that those who are able to see ahead are considered wise. Ability to see ahead will prove to be advantageous in good respects. Firstly, a man who sees opportunity ahead will be able to rightly position himself. He will enjoy the benefit of a head start. Secondly, a man who sees ahead can identify threats and dangers and guard against them. Being caught off-guard all the time is no proof of wisdom.

Ability to see ahead will prove to be advantageous in good respects…Being caught off-guard all the time is no proof of wisdom…No one can be considered wise without the right use of times and seasons. In real life, it is not just ideas that separate people; it is putting ideas to work at the appropriate time.

In Proverbs 6, we are introduced to a little creature who exhibit tremendous wisdom. The ants not only work hard, they work smart. For example, they are smart enough to work as a team. In addition, they know how to prepare for the rainy day. The ants gather their food in summer, having seen ahead that winter would come. At winter, they just sleep in and feast on what they had stored. That Ability to discern the most suitable time to gather their supplies marks out the ant as wise. No one can be considered wise without the right use of times and seasons. In real life, it is not just ideas that separate people; it is putting ideas to work at the appropriate time.

Long flights are usually stressful to me. When any flight is to last in excess of five hours non-stop, I have to specially prepare my mind for it. Over time I found something that helps me cope. The night or day preceding any such flight, I make sure that I literally work myself to exhaustion. Typically, as soon as I settle in the plane, I sleep off. So I would literally sleep the hours away. Our text discusses sleep from two angles. Firstly, he introduces us to the laboring man. His sleep is always sweet. Having sapped himself of energy during the day, his body naturally shuts down for rest at night. This gives us additional value of work. A good day’s work is a recipe for a good night rest. On the other hand, an idle man may have to endure the night with burdensome thoughts.

A good day’s work is a recipe for a good night rest…Worrying over wealth is a recipe for unrest… What we know to be true is that God’s blessing makes one rich without adding sorrow.

Ironically, wealth may rob people of sleep just as idleness. Worrying over wealth is a recipe for unrest. When people are unduly concerned about how to succeed or make money, they may lose their sleep. Even after people have succeeded, the concern of not losing their fortune can rob them of sleep. This does not have to be a rule of thumb. Those who have committed themselves and what they have to God and His cause can still enjoy rest despite their great fortune. When the Bible speaks of the abundance of the rich not allowing them to sleep, I believe it is strictly those who have money without God. What we know to be true is that God’s blessing makes one rich without adding sorrow.

When my children were in school, I prayed for them virtually every day. That was in addition to calling them once a week. It was my little way of checking on their well-being. In those days, the report I mostly got was that they had heavy workload. They had to meet deadlines on term papers and other assignments. I made them understand that there are no easy steps to success. Good success is still spelt W-O-R-K! Whenever you see anything advertised that will double your money within a month, you have a Ponzi scheme in place; it doesn’t matter the packaging. It is worse when wrapped in religious garb, and promised success without sweat. Ask those who have gone ahead and search the word of God; hard work is the pathway to increase.

Good success is still spelt W-O-R-K!…hard work is the pathway to increase…A hardworking believer is a good imitator of our God.

God established the culture of work! The book of Genesis introduced us to a working God. We see God’s creative genius on display as He brought order out of chaos and made everything from no physical substance. Jesus also exemplified the dignity of work when He said, “My Father is always working, and I too must work” (John 5:17 GNT). For Jesus, work was a necessity as that became a major way to showcase the Father to the world. This brings us to the first principal reason why work cannot be placed on the elective list. If you are a son of God, you must work after the order of your Father. A hardworking believer is a good imitator of our God.