Devotional – If not for God’s Grace

Have you ever looked back on your life and wondered how did God get you here? I have looked back, and I have been amazed, flattered and just completely stunned sometimes.

Not by anything that I have done, because I haven’t done anything or achieved any success without God. But I am amazed by His grace and mercy, following me all the days of my life.

Why is God interested in us?

Sometimes I truly wonder why God is so interested in us as mere mortals. I could never understand how a perfect, majestic, all powerful God would look upon us and care, love and make ways out of the desert for us. He would take the time to bail us out of the troubles we have placed ourselves in and yet still love us unconditionally, as if we’ve never done wrong.

I don’t know if anyone’s ever figured this out, but every time I feel I’m smart enough to think I may understand this God, He shows me just how little I do know about Him.

Even in school

When I was a child, I wasn’t doing well in school. I tried my best but still couldn’t be in the top half of the class. When I wrote Common Entrance, (now known as SEA) I passed for a Junior Secondary School (these have now been turned into five year colleges). My two brothers before me had passed for prestigious schools and so to hear this was like an explosion in my heart.

Unknown to me, my parents didn’t want to send me to this school. They thought I wouldn’t do well and wondered if they could sacrifice and take the little money my father made to send me to school where my brothers were doing so well and needed the financial support. My eldest sister told me that she came then and asked them to send me to the school for at least the first year and see how I made out.

God comes on the scene

Well, can I just tell you that God came on the scene (also at that time unknown to me!). You see, I gave my heart to Jesus when I was just about to go off to school. Within the three semesters of that year I had topped the class with fabulous grades.

This not very smart girl, who couldn’t find her way anywhere near the top of the class, stood on the dean’s list and graduated from that school, with acknowledgements, at graduation. Nothing save Christ alone! When I look back, I saw God literally taking me through and making me into something that I could never achieve alone.

Today I want to say that God’s word is so absolutely true. Psalms 139: 13-16 says:

When things are falling apart

If you feel that you’re not seeing things come together in your life, my advice is go to God. He knows everything about you, and He is the one that has already planned everyday of your life. He is the only one who can make the dreams in your heart come true.

As you turn to Him, may He direct your paths, Amen.

Sometimes I have no words to describe God. He has me speechless and teary eyed because of His kind-heartedness towards me.

When I graduated from the Junior Secondary School and went off to Senior Secondary, I was one of the two brightest persons in the class. We would be in the first and second places throughout the two years we went to school. We were, and still remain, close friends.

God places you there for a purpose

If I had passed for a prestigious school I would have never survived, because at that time I didn’t have what it took to stand out in such a school. So my all-wise Abba Father placed me in the system He knew I would succeed in and built my confidence.

Don’t think for a minute He let me miss out on anything at all. After a few years I got a temporary job. The taxi I took would sometimes pass this school I longed to attend but didn’t have the finances.

As I worked, I saved enough and God did allow me the privilege to attend that school. He really is an amazing God. I went on to do A levels, Diploma Level, a BA degree with honors and a MBA in less than eighteen months (while working).

God is the only one

Today I stand the only female in my family that is this educated. I don’t say this to gloat or show off in any way. If it were not for God in my life, I’d still be that girl struggling to be in the top half of the class. I say this to say to you that no matter where you are in this life and what your dreams are – God is the only one who can make dreams come true. He can make an oasis in the desert places just for your benefit. Why does He do it? Because He loves us with a love that we will not be able to understand. Because He cares about everything that concerns us.

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God only has good plans for us

Jeremiah 29: 11-13 says:

¹¹ For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome. ¹² Then you will call upon Me, and you will come and pray to Me, and I will hear and heed you. ¹³ Then you will seek Me, inquire for,and require Me [as a vital necessity] and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.

God only has good plans for us. It’s really up to us to trust Him and to seek Him with all our hearts. We will find Him and we will find ourselves in the middle of His perfect will.

Take courage today. I know it’s really tough sometimes, but always remember that no matter how bad it is – God still stands on your side making a way for you. He will never let you down. Even when you feel what you want is best, He has way better plans for your life.

May God flood your heart with courage and grace to take each step of faith, Amen.