WANISHANGAZA: THE WONDERS OF GOD
"I have made the earth, and created man on it. I—My hands—stretched out the heavens, and all their host I have commanded." Isaiah 45:12.
Wanishangaza is a Swahili word. It means to be amazed or surprised. Indeed God is awesome, marvelous, amazing and full of wonders. The word 'wonder' means something brilliantly done, a phenomenon. It means a miracle, an act of God, or anything causing admiration and joy. Have you ever been amazed by God’s creation?
“7 But now ask the beasts, and they will teach you; And the birds of the air, and they will tell you; 8 Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you; And the fish of the sea will explain to you. 9 Who among all these does not know That the hand of the Lord has done this, 10 In whose hand is the life of every living thing, And the breath of all mankind?" Job 12:7-10.
If the beasts of the wild, the birds of the air and fish of the sea could speak they would all declare God as the Creator. Their testimony will be unanimous! The whole of creation reveals the beauty of God's masterpiece.
In his darkest hour, Job acknowledged and recognized the wonders, beauty and the greatness of God in creation! The darkest hour of the night is at midnight. A time when you're going through series of events that shakes the foundation of your faith. Indeed, it not the best time for a praise and worship service. "But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them." Acts 16:25. In their midnight hour, Paul and Silas praised God! We’ve all felt lonely and hopeless. Are you in your own midnight hour? A seasons of trials, difficulties, sickness, pain, rejection and betrayal. The midnight hour is a time when it seems like nothing is going well and you feel God has forgotten you? Perhaps it is the loss of a loved one. It is a time of debt, depression, or family strife. Are you still worshiping God in the midst of a seemingly hopeless situation? Take a minute right now to thank the Lord. Thank Him for His faithfulness.
‘The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.’ Psalm 19:1.
Every time you looks up at the heavens you receive a speechless but powerful message of God's wonders. The sun, moon, and the stars, all speaks. With their message they communicates the existence of God.
"29 Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. 30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows" Matthew 10:29-31.
The sparrows are tiny and seemingly insignificant birds. We rarely give them much thought. But God does! He sees all the tiny sparrows! God doesn't forget a single bird. Every of His creation is valuable to Him. And since God cares for birds, we can be certain He loves and cares for us too, even when we don’t understand it! As a part of His creation, He is concerned with everyone of us. The Lord sees you! You're much more valuable than many sparrows! You're important to God. He loves you with His everlasting love. God knows all about you and every dream, desire and hope you hold so dear. He knows the crisis in your life now. His plan is the best plan. The Father is aware of everything about you. Even the hairs of your head are numbered. Scientists say the average human head has 100,000 strands of hair. God knows every detail about your life, even your name. So don’t be afraid. Trust in God, no matter the situation. You're more than the sparrows; God's eyes are on you.
GOD'S IN CONTROL:
"Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?" Matthew 6:26.
When we are in the midst of success, enjoying good health and in prosperity, it is easy to sing “Hosanna, Hosanna to the Highest.” But can you still praise God when things are hopeless? When everything around us seems to be falling apart, it is hard to imagine that God is still in control. But He is! God's still in control no matter the situation. Not only is God in control of the world and our lives, but He is also a sovereign! The word sovereign conveys the idea of superiority and supremacy. God is supreme in excellence and perfect in all His ways. He is infinite! God is unrivaled in majesty, unlimited in power, excellence in knowledge, and unaffected by anything outside Himself. The Lord is the Creator and Controller of the universe and all that is in it.
Yet one question we often hear seems to be, “If God's in control, why does He allow bad things to happen?” "If God has a plan for my life, then why is He watching when everything is falling apart? "If God is all-powerful, why did He allow cancer, HIV/AIDS, leukemia, high blood pressure, diabetes, and the pandemic COVID-19?" We don't expect to understand fully the purpose for trials. But we do know that God loves us too much to harm us, and that He is far more concerned with our welfare than we are. "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28.
1. Hence don't be afraid.
"Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows." Matthew 10:29-31.
In times of crisis, fear is a real emotion. It paralyzes! Maybe today you are struggling with fear regarding a difficult circumstance in your life or family. Perhaps you’ve received a discouraging health diagnosis. Could it be that your contract at work was terminated and you're anxious about the future. Are you facing life without someone you once held dear? Maybe your bank account is low, the bills are due and debt is piling up. Has the economic collapse as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic affected your business or ministry and you are not sure what the future holds? Hold on! Trust in God. Worry add to high blood pressure, insomnia, and suppresses immune system. Don't be anxious. Avoid murmuring and complaining; it keep you from focus on God.
2. Pray.
When things are out of your control, pray! James 5:16 says, “Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”
3. Appreciate the goodness and wonders of God.
"Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; 13 but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy." 1 Peter 4:12-13. Thanksgiving magnifies the Lord.
"Oh, how great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear You, which You have prepared for those who trust in You in the presence of the sons of men! 20 You shall hide them in the secret place of Your presence from the plots of man; You shall keep them secretly in a pavilion From the strife of tongues." Psalm 31:19-20. The beauty of God’s creation should cause us to worship the Creator.
4. Deepens your trust and confidence in God.
God's plan is not our plan, so things may not work out exactly how we wanted. But He'll always carry us through. Proverbs 3:5 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.”
5. Read the Bible daily. Take the time to search for what God wants to say to you through the Scriptures.
6. Surrender to the will of God. Don't take another step without considering Him.
7. Seek to know Him more.
The more time you spend with God, the greater the intimacy you'll develop with Him. Set aside a consistent time every day to meet with God. Choose a time at which you're most alert and can block out distractions. Have an incurable hatred for sin. Meditate on the Scripture and memorize it so it will renew your mind.
"Many, O Lord my God, are Your wonderful works which You have done; And Your thoughts toward us
Cannot be recounted to You in order; If I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered." Psalm 40:5.
Even though the whole world may be in a state of chaos; God has not forgotten about us, and He is at work. You may not see or understand the purpose of what He is doing, but He is. God's working behind the scenes! So focus on being faithful to Him and knowing Him. Focus on doing what He wants you to do. He'll take care of you and the details of your life. Your life is in the hands of God. He's the reason you took your first breath.
Have you met Jesus Christ? "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together." Colossians 1:15-17. Why not say this prayer from your heart: “Lord God, I come to You today. I know I’m a sinner and I cannot save myself. I acknowledge that I am a sinner who needs Your forgiveness. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the Cross to save me and He resurrected on the third day. I confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour and surrender my life to Him today. I invite Jesus into my heart today. By this prayer, I know I’m saved. Thank you Jesus for saving me and making me a child of God.
PRAYER POINTS:
1. Father, help me to trust in Your incredible ability to care for each detail of my life, in Jesus name.
2. O Lord, lead, guide, and strengthen me to do Your will, in Jesus name.
