I recently went on a trip recently with some of my colleagues at work. Usually
when I travel, I would call my wife at intervals, thank God for mobile
technology, letting her know where I was and putting her mind at ease about my
safety.
Sometimes however, I am not able to call because I am in a place which is out of
the mobile phone operator’s coverage area. At intervals, I would check the
screen of the cell phone and it would show up blank. Funny enough, it is at
times like this that I would have an urgent need to call my wife, possibly to
pass on some information I didn’t remember earlier. I would stare at the screen
of the mobile phone willing the logo of the mobile operator to show up on the
screen.
On and on the journey goes and I try to pretend I didn’t need to make that call
anyway. I switch off the phone and try to engage myself with something else.
Suddenly the forests left and right of the road begin to thin out and signs of
an approaching town loomed ahead. Instinctively, I reach into my pocket and
switch on the cell phone. “No signal here too” I sigh. Just as I am about to
switch the phone off, the mobile operator’s logo flashed on and off the screen!
“There is a signal here!” I shouted, and others began scrambling for their
phones trying to reach friends, loved ones and family.
At this point, it did not matter if the strength of the signal was weak. I would
be glad to have a bar of signal strength out of 4. That would be enough to carry
my voice through hundreds of miles away to my home and enable me hear the voices
of my family whom I am already missing.
Many of us are out of sync with God at the moment. We can’t remember the last
time we have heard from God. We miss the times we used to hear God speak to us.
Things have come between us and Him. Hectic schedules, jobs, family pressures,
economic recession, joblessness, health problems and the like. We are
Christians, yes but we know within us that everything we do is routine. We go to
church, sing along with others, pray listen to the sermon and come back home
satisfied that we have been to church but deep down, we are missing something.
We would be satisfied is we hear just one word from God. What we would give to
hear that one word!
I have good news for you. Unlike the mobile phone operators, God is not limited
in coverage. God is everywhere. He is right where you are. He never went
anywhere. We are the ones who got caught up with other things and turned our
attention away. “For I will pour water upon him who is thirsty, and floods upon
the dry ground. I will pour My Spirit upon your offspring, and My blessing upon
your descendants.”( Isaiah 44:3, Amplified Bible)
Any time water is used in scripture, it denotes the presence of the Holy Spirit.
It is through the Spirit of God that we are able to hear from God. His promise
is that no matter how far you are, God’s coverage reaches you wherever you are.
Just ask Him to fill you afresh with His Spirit and you can be sure that He
will. How do I know that He will answer when you ask? Because His word says so
and God can never lie! He said in Luke 11:13. “If you then, evil as you are,
know how to give good gifts [gifts that are to their advantage] to your
children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those
who ask and continue to ask Him!” (Luke 11:13)
One of the things I know God does is that He restores. If there is one man who
knew about the restoring power of God, he is David. Confronted with the sin of
murder and adultery, David went to God in true repentance. He didn’t pray that
God should not take away his possessions or even his life, his one cry was
‘please don’t take your Spirit from me!’
I don’t know where you’ve been or where you are, I just want you to know that
God restores! If you feel dry and thirsty, ask God to refresh you with His
spirit. If you feel you can’t sense His presence, ask Him to restore you and
fill you afresh with His Spirit.
He restored David, why would He not restore you?
Steve Popoola steve@biblepraise.org
Biblepraise Fellowship Online © 2005
Steve Popoola is the editor of Biblepraise Newsletter and the webmaster of
Biblepraise Fellowship Online at http://www.biblepraise.org . British by birth,
He currently resides in Lagos, Nigeria with wife Maris and their children,
Praise, Stephanie and Precious. He works in the IT department of a bank.
Formerly an active singer, he still sings occasionally and speaks at invited
forums. He presently serves as a Sunday School Teacher and also in the
Tapes/Books Ministry in his local church. He is the Moderator/Editor of
Biblepraise Newsletter.
The Illustrator: This daily newsletter is dedicated to encouraging
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