Stretch

Stretch

Daniel 2:19”..the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven..”

When God stretches you, it is not to break you but to make you grow and glow, stay with Him in the process so that you grow beyond your imagination; you never know what your capacity is unless you are STRETCHED. Daniel and his friends are being stretched over and over again right from the opening chapter of this book of Daniel. Each time I read the book of Daniel I get charged, energized, boosted, brave, plucky and encouraged. After Daniel overcame victoriously the ‘food contest’ in chapter one, immediately in the next chapter Daniel is faced with another horrendous and murderous threat from the king himself; however, instead of panicking Daniel wisely handles the situation by meeting the king himself and requests for time, in the meanwhile he prays to God who reveals the mystery to him. Amen. Proverbs 2: 3 says, “For if you cry for discernment, Lift your voice for understanding.” Eventually, after all the STRETCH …Daniel was able to meet the lions in chapter six with ease, poise and confidence in God. Hallelujah!

Things are not going to be smooth and hunky-dory all the time, there would be turbulent days and that’s when your caliber, competence and skill should manifest. Anybody listening? I didn’t expect this, I never thought this would happen, they ditched me…….all these statements are from people who are reckless, spineless and not proactive. Cautious, highly shrewd and vigilant people would be prepared! When an extremely famous theatre artist in America was asked during an interview as to how he happened to become a theatre artist and get popular, his reply was surprising, he said, on a particular day when the main heroine did not turn up he had to play the role of a female, he was accepted by the audience because that was a comedy role and thereby he continued to do it. Instead of panicking this gentleman pitched in where there was a need and thus completed the work; however, you got to have the know-how in order to do it well, though.

Last year during our three days camp meeting, the food caterer did an excellent job and supplied sumptuous food for us, in the evening while I was settling the money, I appreciated his work and that’s when he said,” the cook suddenly created a ruckus and walked out so I had to get another cook from elsewhere and finish the work, I was under great pressure and tension during all the three days.” While we were enjoying the timely meals, without disturbing us, this caterer went all out to complete our work, that’s efficiency.

A committed worker would finish the job no matter what it takes and would not be bragging about the details but he would just complete it. Ah! That’s his norm. You know what, when you buy high quality material, it would look normal but it has the capacity ‘in it’ to stretch, though this may be expensive but it is worth it because of its high quality. Are you a person who buckle down under pressure or are you a person with capacity to stretch? Tell me. After we shifted to Hyderabad, for around ten years I would travel with my husband and sometimes alone too and this period was hectic. In one particular city where I was ministering for three days, the church elders took me to a village for ministry in an auto, the one hour travel almost broke my back; nevertheless, that experience had given me the stretching capacity…..Sometimes you may feel that something you’re going through is breaking you……relax, actually that is stretching you.

STRETCH TO LOVE:

Sometimes when you go beyond your capacity to forgive and love someone who has hurt you mercilessly, let me tell you, God is not going to ignore you, He would bless you trillion times for your effort to stretch and please God. Have you read this scripture: 1 Peter 2:20”What good does it do if, when you sin, you patiently receive punishment for it? But if you suffer for doing good and receive it patiently, you have God's approval. “ I tell you this scripture is like a heavy tonic that would release all anger and bitterness from you. The greatest blow you can give the enemy is to sing praises to God when you are in the darkest hour ( actually I was about to write “ when you are beaten black and blue..”; however, I couldn’t get to write it….) I don’t write this because I’ve got it all together, but I write because there is power in the words of Jesus when He says, “Mathew 5:38-40” You have heard that it was said,”Eye for eye and tooth for tooth but I tell you do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.” This devotion is going to break Jericho walls today….I tell you, even if they read it after ten years on the social media, it is going to heal them like crazy because there is power in the blood of Jesus. Amen.