God Arraigned

Judge:        

Accusations have been made

In this great court against the defendant.

There have been many witnesses

And incriminating evidences.

There is no doubt left in my mind

That the accused stands condemned

In the very things he has been accused of.

I am and bear witness to some of these accusations,

I have been a victim too.

The plaintiffs stated

That the defendant claimed to be good and loving,

But he does not care

About the wars that are killing innocent children,

The natural disasters that are destroying cities and lives,

The terror that is claiming the land

And the evil that threatens our very existence.

The defendant has been asked why he allows

Death to claim youths in their prime,

The young girl to be widowed too early and left with babies,

A father to walk out on a family,

A mother to die at child birth,

And parents to bury children.

“Where were you when I was raped?” He has been asked

“When the thieves came?

When the accident happened?

When I called

And begged for help?

How can you claim to be love,

To be kind,

To understand,

To care,

When all you think about is yourself,

And your laws and your judgements?”

Before I pass the judgement in this great court

Does the defendant have anything to say?

God:           

I have been silent.

I have listened to your accusations.

I have watched the proceedings silently.

Permit me to speak plainly.

My patience is not my inability.

My grace is not my failure.

My love is not my weakness.

Your words against me have been false and harsh.

Judge:                  

But you answered nothing.

You chose to be your own lawyer

And yet you refused to speak in your defence.

We... I find your silence injudicious.

It has failed to help you in substantiating your innocence.

But you have my permission to speak.

God:           

I will speak when I please

And I need no man to grant me permission.

You will listen and you will hear.

But I have granted you the ability to choose;

To believe or not to believe,

To obey or not to obey,

To live or to die.

I am sovereign!

I do as I please indeed.

But I think no evil.

I plan no evil.

I do no evil.

I have made all things beautiful,

But you have sought out evil inventions.

Your thoughts are constantly evil

And your world is the result of your choices.

I help all who look to me for help.

I understand and feel the pain of those who hurt,

The tears of those who mourn,

The anger of those who feel abandoned,

Left alone and dying.

But I’m never far away.

I am constantly working all things together for good.

Yet you limit your results by your words.

You complain while I work

And it is distracting.

You nag me with your accusations

And annoy me with your self pity parties.

Yet, I am patient.

I wait patiently for you to change your thinking

And your sour attitude

Which stink to the heavens.

Where is the praise?

Where is the thanksgiving that spurs me on to work?

What thanks do I get for the sun?

“It is too hot.”

What thanks do I get for the rain?

“Oh stupid rain!”

What thanks do I get for the new day?

“Oh another crazy day!”

What thanks do I get for the life I give you”

“I am sick and tired of this life, this work, this child,this spouse, this house, this, this, this, this, this...”

And it is only for a moment -

This challenge that has come to make you strong.

And it is so inconsequential -

This challenge when compared to the good that it ispreparing you for.

The birth process is over,

The child brings joy,

But who is thankful?

You fill my ears with pain.

It is painful to hear your ingratitude,

Upsetting to see that you distrust me.

To what do I owe your lack of trust?

You constantly give me reason to end it all.

You take me for granted.

And you dare to accuse me of your failings?

I have given you everything that leads to life andgodliness.

And you dare to accuse me of your shortcoming?

I have loved you with an everlasting love.

And you dare to accuse me of not caring?

As rightful Judge and King over all

I shall sit in judgement.

And I shall pass judgement.

What have you to say for yourselves?

Plaintiffsand Judge:      

We are on our knees,

And we weep with shame.

We have been rash with our tongues,

We have spoken in haste,

Our words have been harsh,

We have ensnared ourselves.

We have no plea.

We are guilty.

God:           

You have judged yourselves.

Plaintiffsand Judge:      

Yet we plead the blood of Jesus.

And we come in his name,

And we ask for mercy.

Yes mercy and grace

That we have taken for granted.

We beg your love which we have abused

And your patience which we have drawn out.

Be merciful to us

And do not deal with us as we deserve.

God:          

It is to think that I am selfish,

Without feelings for your pain

That you accuse me of being unjust and uncaring.

Yet know this:

I will share my glory with no other

And whatever you place above me

I will take away from you.

Rise!

You are forgiven.

Accuse me no more.

Reporter:    

In an uncanny turn of events,

The case that was brought before the court was struck out.

The defendant became the judge

While the judge joined the plaintiffs

To plead guilty and pray for mercy.

In the matter between men and God,

Men were found guilty of wrongly accusing their Maker.

And, the defendant decided

In the goodness of his heart

To drop all charges.

This court was adjourned

And will reconvene at a later date

On the case between

Men and the devil.

LIMITED WITHOUT FAITH

I read through the bible and I could not help but notice that this is a book of love. It is a book of the God who loves so intensely, so passionately and so consciously, you cannot claim lack of notice. His love sweeps you off your feet like a whirlwind. It washes over you like a tidal wave; you cannot resist the power with which it hits you. Hit, you fall under the forcefulness of this tsunami. The simplicity of this love brings you to your knees in tears. Its validity you cannot deny.

I am still standing.

Why?

I stand because I look within. I try to reason it out. Why am I loved? Do I deserve it? Does God really love me? Who am I to be loved?

I stand because I look without. I try to figure God out. What kind of God is he? If He truly is love, why is the world falling apart? Why are children dying of hunger and paying the price for wars they know nothing about? Why isn’t anything working?

I stand because my mind wants to understand God. I stand because I compare the truth of His love with my experience. I find it hard to believe I can be loved and that by the Almighty God.

Boundless, immortal, invincible, awesome brrzzzzz... There are no words to sufficiently, properly describe God. That’s how to describe my reach; how far my thoughts and analysis can go - brrzzzzz...

Limited.

I am limited. Language is limited. Human mind, human sight, human imagination, human experience is limited. We grope in the darkness of our human understanding. We search for the light that properly illuminates Him and even in that light we still cannot behold Him as He is.

Limited.

To know Him, we fall short in our search, to things we can see, things we can describe, things we can imagine. To understand Him, we reduce Him to things we can touch and explain and own.

Limited.

Who are you? I want to know you? Are you really there? If you are there give me a sign. Even our questions limit us; for even when a sign is given it is soon forgotten and we seek yet another sign, another explanation and ask more questions.

Faith.

That’s the answer to our limitations. That’s the light that promises guidance through our darkness. Faith in who He says He is; faith to believe Him even when His words are too true for our human minds to accept. We need to have faith in his love for us. Faith brings us closer to Him.

Faith.

THE BEAUTY AND BURDEN OF FREEDOM

“I want to be free! I want freedom. I am tired of responsibilities and I don’t want to answer to anyone. I want to be my own man, make my own choices. Go where I want and do as I please when I please.”

That’s the cry for freedom.

We all have gone through or will go through this phase at one point in our lives.

I loved authority and order but I hated to be told all the time what to do and how to do it. I wanted to be my own boss and answer to no one. I lived in absolute comfort and peace in my father’s house. There was little that I desired and did not have. My father gave me all that life entreats to ensure I lacked nothing good.

BUT, I was restless. There was something lacking still. There was a need I could not quite fill.  I looked at the lives of the seemingly free. They seemed to go and come when they pleased. They could do whatever they pleased and life seemed to lay no consequences at their feet. They were as free and as happy as larks.

I desired that. Freedom!

I walked out of my father’s house. I was tired of the pressures of responsibility, chores, discipline and constant correction. I walked out of my father’s cover and constant warnings of the dangers without. I walked out in search of freedom; freedom to breathe and be; freedom to explore and discover. I walked away from my father’s unending supply. I took what I had and hoped to figure out life for myself. I walked away from my father’s house and...

My father respected my choice and allowed me to leave.

At last!

I found freedom. I took in a deep breath and exhaled. I ran wild and my life was indeed a circus. I did not beg for friends, they found me. They were carefree and kind and fed my need for freedom. They encouraged my exploits and praised my idiosyncrasies. They helped me in my pursuit of freedom and in my bid to abandon all that kept me grounded. I became as free and as happy as a lark.

Yet, I lacked joy.

I had no joy and peace eluded me. I missed my father and longed for his approval. I wished I could talk to him but I could not call him because I knew I had failed him.  I allowed myself tears, once, when I was alone in the dark and scolded myself in the morning, “Be strong and prove to the world that you are your own boss.”

Still, I lacked joy.

How do I explain to you the pain and fear of knowing that you are a failure in the midst of your seeming success? That’s exactly how I felt.

How do I explain to you the envy and the jealousy I felt for those who waited and got their fathers’ blessings? That’s exactly how I felt.

How do I explain to you the strain of staying happy when I knew no peace? That’s exactly how I felt.

I thought.

I ran away from over analysing things and thinking things through but thoughts of how low I’d fallen weighed me down. I was inundated by my fleeting success and yet plagued by restlessness.

I wanted freedom!

I sought my friends to share with them my pain, they deserted me. I drew deep in search of myself and all that I truly lacked. I felt abandoned by my father and all who cared for me. My house of ace cards, built on the sands of my fantasies crumbled around me.

Castle in Spain!

I woke up from my dreams and gnawing thoughts of my fallen state assailed me. Accompanied by shame, I thought I was no better than the pigs.

I wanted freedom.

Guilt gripped me with its iron clad fist. I fought for freedom. Pain sought to rip out my heart with its coal red hands. I ran for freedom. Death hoped to comfort me with its large cold arms. I chose freedom.

I ran home to my father and offered to be corrected, punished, disgraced and then accepted and loved. I threw myself at his mercy and begged that he did with me as he pleased. I was certain that if he flogged me in anger, I would feel loved. If my father screamed at me, I would feel loved. If he looked at me with the pain of disappointment, I would feel loved.

I would feel loved if only, he would look at me, touch me, even if in anger.

I wanted freedom.

I ran home to my father and he opened his arms and embraced me. He kissed me with love and restored me to his original plan for me and said the words I never hoped to hear again; “I love you.”

Freedom is the love of the Father that frees me from the bondage of sin and death.

Freedom is the love of the Father that holds me to a higher standard of right standing with him.

Freedom is the choice of rightness within the confines of His will.

Freedom is responsibility within the sovereignty of our right to choose.

Freedom is submitting our choice to His approval and accepting His will and way as final authority.

Freedom is the willingness to be corrected and accepted in the beloved.

I am the prodigal child and here is the beauty and burden of freedom.

THE FORCE OF IMAGINATION

I am a freaking billionaire!

That isn’t according to your bank account as it spells “BROKE” ... correctly... unfortunately, but according to your mind as it has the power to propel you into action towards becoming a billionaire.

The power of thought is such that the Holy Book says you are a product of your thought. It is the mind of men that produced such grand thinking that the Creator of this ability in man confessed, “... this they begin to do and now NOTHING will be RESTRAINED from them which they have IMAGINED TO DO.”

The question is, “what are you imagining to do?”

What is the image, the dream, invention, concept you have given your mind to feed on?

Imagination has to be strong enough you can see it, wild enough to push you into action, magnanimous enough it can be sustained beyond you and can include others.

Your wealth is subject to the state of your mind. It does not mean that a billion confessions of, “I am a billionaire” will change the state of your bank account. As long as the people were imagining building a tower, God said nothing but when they began to push/ birth their imagination by actually beginning to build the tower, God admitted they would be unstoppable.

Selah!

Your thoughts control your internal environment – the way you respond to people and situations - the reaction of fear, anger, irritation etc.

Fear is the chief enemy of action and until you begin to act on your imagination, you ... (it has taken me a great while to arrive at this) are your own enemy!

What are you afraid of?

Do you see a problem or an opportunity?

Which is best? To take a calculated risk of investing when people are pulling out, especially during a crisis, or to pull out and be safe?

When do you think is the best time to Arise and Shine? When there is light or when there is darkness?

Laziness is another enemy that keeps you from reaching for greatness.

Laziness in thought: if you put your mind to work and keep a journal of your thoughts, you might just succeed at surprising yourself. You may find you are a great writer, a very creative idea spinner. And if you push your mind to break through every known boundary you may just discover what Nigeria and indeed Africa needs to break even.

Laziness in language: Jim Rohn advices to make one’s language useful and to learn to put one’s experience in language that might be useful to others. Communication affects every area of one’s life.  Reading and writing are great ways to improve your language and like I always say if reading is quite a task, start with some nursery rhymes.

Laziness in action: So you don’t know where the money will come from why bother to think or plan!

Opportunity is of benefit only to the prepared, so work on a plan, set goals and keep refining your plan till opportunity knocks at your door.  To produce worthwhile results requires worthwhile actions, no matter how small. Those actions must be sustained over a period of time and that requires discipline.

Discipline cannot be achieved if your IMAGINATION is not STRONG enough to make you see the substance of an idea. 

Think Big!

In conclusion, there is no way our society is going to break out of its rich – looking – poor – man syndrome until we are willing to help enough people get what they want. It is the same principle that guides the banking sector in giving of loans.

Greatness, remember, is simply achieved through finding a way to serve many people. Loan your talents and creativity and skills to helping others get what they want, you’ll be helping yourself get what you want.

I think. 

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