FACING LIFE’S CHALLENGES
Reverend David Den Haan of Fairway Christian Reformed Church in Today [The Family Altar] of Sunday, December 7, 2008, wrote, “Let’s say that you’re Joseph. You’re a respected member of the community. People know you as a righteous man. But now you’ve discovered that your fiancée is pregnant. You know that the baby she’s carrying is not yours. What will you do?” This is the question that we face during life’s challenges. What do you do when the unexpected or undesired and unforeseen happens? For example: A Pastor’s daughter gets pregnant out of wedlock, spouse found having affair with your unfriendly friend, child or close relation suddenly declare he or she is living an alternative lifestyle, when intimacy has fizzled out of your union, when the unexpected calamity comes your way and so on.
Life’s challenges come in various manners and ways. It could put one on a hot spot to choose between God’s word and your opinion [opinions of men] or God’s way and your culture or your chosen trade [profession] and God’s calling on your life. It could entail leaving your familiar territory to a strange place, just like those who left third world to become economic refugees in advanced world. Life may not be easy, but it is a choice they have made or circumstances have made it so for them. Sometimes it could take forgoing the substance at hand for what look unrealistic, unachievable or even impossible; taking to the path of obedience not knowing the outcome or taking on unfamiliar venture. However, don’t forget that the unfamiliar ventures somehow bring the unusual laughers and dancing we admire and wonder: How could this happen; only God can do this!
If you were Joseph, a just and respected man; observed the young lady engaged to you whom you have not slept with, is carrying a baby that is not your own, what would you do? Supposing you were a young Mary who is still a virgin and you know neither in widest dream or in reality, has not slept with any man and suddenly you find yourself pregnant, what would you do? Who will believe your story? Not even your parents, friends, the scientist, the theologians or the judicial system; indeed no one shall believe you. Like the friends of Job they shall call you a lair. Both Joseph and Mary had unbelievable life’s situation that no human thought and ingenuity could impervious. Both of them would’ve been ashamed, disturbed and live in wonder. Joseph was already pondering on sending away his fiancée in a quiet manner. Could there have been some hand pointing and name calling, gossips, public accusations and disappointment? How embarrassed was the families? Would you have had the support of Church family or closed relations and friends?
Did you say she was a virgin? How can she claim to be a virgin with pregnancy? That was then when virginity was a godly virtue and cultural pride. In our so called advanced and enlightened age, our society and Press media is saturated with sex images and expositions; our prime consideration for any relationship is based on sexual experience and performance. It has since become a basis for comparison between one partner and new catch; some even give preference to an un-circumcised partner and anal sex, just to have unusual fun. However, God who was behind this challenge, intervened and strengthened the curve. The choice before Joseph was either to believe and obey God or pride in his self dignity and listen to the theory of the world.
If you were Abraham and God asked you to leave your comfort zone into unknown territory but a promised land; promised that your children would be as many as the stars in heaven yet you and spouse were childless and grown beyond child bearing ages in human opinion. What would you do? Would you have held unto God’s promise or immerse in your self doubts? Would you not have thought it was an “April fool” since you were already grown into menopause? Would you have trusted God even if it lacked substance; obey without knowing outcome and trust that with God it’s still possible even when doing so appeared meaningless. If you were Abraham and God ask you to take your only child, whom you loved so dearly to offer sacrifice to Him, what would be your response? What would you have told your wife? How would you deal with the mind disturbing question that Isaac confronted Abraham with – Behold the fire and the wood, where is the lamb of burn offering? [Genesis 22:7]. You may have thought if God knew He would destabilize your joy and caused you heartbreak, why did He give you the child in the first place? Yet this was the child of promise and God’s gift adds no sorrow.
If you were Mary and Martha, your beloved bother Lazarus was dying and you send for his friend, Jesus – the Christ whom you know went about doing healing; disappointingly, He came four days after Lazarus was buried. Would you have thought He was a friend in need? Perhaps, He was too busy to respond timely and just came to console the family. Yet Jesus is God; the Resurrection and Life. He came that we have life and have it abundantly. Even when the corpse had started to decompose, Mary and Martha believed He could still do something; brethren, it was still possible. It became the greatest moment in Jesus ministry when He raised Lazarus from death. If you were Job, would you have cursed God and died as suggested by his wife? The gift of God made Job rich and yet He allowed Satan to tempt and carried away all that was in his possession, including wealth and household. Is God unrighteous? At the end Job was better off than when He started life. If you were Zachariah and just for asking an angel: how would that happen? He shut your mouth and commanded you to remain dumb until the child is born. How would you have felt? You entered the Altar of incense talking but you came out a dumb. What an embarrassment!
What life’ challenges have you faced and still passing through? Have you lost your job and your spouse took advantage of you in the land of the freed and those who used to hail and hang out with you now ignore you. Are you experiencing closed door catastrophes? Are you children suddenly becoming stubborn and disobedient? Is your world gradually falling apart and those you’ve helped out in the past are paying you back in adverse coins? Are your so called friends beginning to distance themselves from you? It’s well. They do not determine your destiny but God does. In every life’s experience you pass through difficult moments that mould you into concrete faith and better walk with God. Even if you ask God to take the condition away He may give you the same response He gave to Apostle Paul, “my grace is sufficient for you.” Be strong and expect that every thing happen for a purpose. God had preplanned our existence and good living on earth; so enjoy it or better put, suffer it so. It’s well; it’s only a phase but not an end. “Obstacles may change your direction but not your destination.” God knows the end from the beginning and shall fulfill it.
Reach Evangelist Ogbonnaya, Godswill at: weefreeministries@yahoo.com or P. O. Box 720035, Houston, Texas, 77272.