The situation in Israel was terrible, so terrible that MOTHERS entered into an agreement to have their children for lunch. There’s an emphasis on “Mothers” because mothers have a special bond with their children.
And the king said to her, “What is troubling you?” And she answered, “This woman said to me, ‘Give your son so that we can eat him today, and we will eat my son tomorrow.’ So we boiled my son and ate him. And the next day I said to her, ‘Give your son so that we can eat him.’ And she has hidden her son”. 2 Kings 6:28-29
If mothers could slaughter their sons for lunch, then the situation was really terrible. And it also reveals to us that a man, if he doesn’t receive grace, can do ANYTHING in his vulnerable seasons.
This is actually a very disturbing story to read, but sometimes life can throw dirty and hard curveballs at you that will make you begin to justify barbaric acts. You can “kill” anyone just to survive, and you can even justify it as “God’s provision.”
“If I’m alive, I can give birth to another son. If I don’t boil my son, I and my son will still die of hunger. It’s better I sacrifice my son so I can live and give birth to another tomorrow. Thank You, LORD, for this wisdom.” One mother would have said, out of severe hunger, justifying the sin she was about to commit and slapping the name of God on it.
What are you currently trying to justify? This is God’s call for you to stop!
One of the moments you have to be extremely careful and double-check every action is in times of dire need… in your low moments. In such times, it will do you good to stay real close to God—to really enquire of God before taking any action—so that you don’t do anything you will regret and pay for later. Many have “boiled their sons” to satisfy their needs. I hope you don’t do so.
After they boiled the first woman’s son and ate, the hunger cleared, and the second woman began thinking well.
“How on earth did we agree to do this?”
So she went and hid her son.
You see that hunger was really the driving force of the barbaric act. Hunger can mess up your life. Hunger can make you do terrible things you couldn’t have imagined yourself doing. So, I counsel again:
In your times of dire need, stay close to God. Allow God to purify you constantly. Don’t take actions hastily—sit on decisions and allow God to direct you.
Finally, come to the throne of grace and receive grace.
“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16 [NKJV]
There’s Grace available for you. You can receive grace for the season you’re currently in. You can receive grace.
Time doesn’t really make things better; what happens IN time is what has the power to change the course of actions.
So, if the enemy has stolen from your life, marriage, family, and career last year, he will come to take another this year. Don’t think that the passage of time from 2024 to 2025 will stop him from taking another. He will come for another!
“Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword. And because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to seize Peter also. Now it was during the Days of Unleavened Bread.”Acts 12:2-3 [NKJV]
Herod had killed James, and you would think that was enough and that time would make him stop. It didn’t. When he was done with James, he went for Peter! And had he been able to deal with Peter, he would have gone for another. And then another. And another… until there was none left.
“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy…” John 10:10 [NKJV]
But the church stopped that from happening—they stopped the enemy from taking another. How?
“Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him. Acts 12:5 [KJV]
Prayer was made without ceasing. What changed the narrative was what the church did in time—they made constant prayers.
In this season, things will spiral into more mess if you don’t step in and stop the flow. The enemy will take another if you don’t step in and stop the flow. More things will go wrong in your marriage if you don’t step in and stop the flow. Your life will get worse if you don’t arise and stop the flow.
It’s that year that we arise and declare, “No more!”
It’s just amazing how we are not intentional in curating the right atmosphere for our children to grow in. We end up raising children that will become a pain to us in the future. Listen, the atmosphere in which a child grows is important. A child that grows in an atmosphere of love will be full of love.
A home always filled with anger, shouting, physical abuse, etc. will raise a child who is damaged, regardless of what you tell that child. This is because children learn more from what they see than from what they are told. They learn more from YOUR SHOWING than from YOUR TELLING. If your showing is wrong, just keep your telling to yourself, because it’s your showing that will mold them.
So, what are you showing your kids?
Sometimes we deceive ourselves that children don’t see and know what’s going on. I came bearing new news today: they know! They see! They hear!
Dear husband and wife, what are you playing before your kids? Remember the sheep of Jacob? They eventually gave birth to that which they constantly looked upon (Genesis 30:37-39). As your children behold your relationship with each other, you’re molding something in them and that’s what they will give birth to in their lives. So, your marriage is not just about you and your spouse; it has a great impact on your children.
Dear singles, as you’re searching for a spouse, please have your children in mind. Go for a spouse who will help you in creating the right atmosphere for your children to grow in. Go for a spouse that will be the right example for your children. That man you’re considering, if your son becomes exactly like him, will that be okay? I just said to ask o…
The story of Abraham and Isaac, as they journey together to offer the sacrifice as commanded by God, is instructive. They get to a point in their journey and Isaac asks,
“…Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” Genesis 22:7 KJV
Isaac must have been pondering on this for a long time. I’ve SEEN my father many times make sacrifices. There’s always the wood, the fire, and the lamb. What’s going on here now? Where is the lamb for the sacrifice?
The point is this: Isaac knew the rudiments of a sacrifice because he had been following his dad and watching him. Abraham was SHOWING.
The Song of Songs, a book of love and intimacy, opens with such profound lines that I would love to present to you today.
“Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: For thy LOVE IS BETTER THAN WINE.” Song of Solomon 1:2 KJV
This verse captures a strong intimacy between the bride and her groom. There was an intense desire for one another locked up in the hearts of these lovers. This verse should, however, not just be read with the physical sensual passion in mind, but with the wholistic view of intimacy. You can’t even achieve the highest pleasure on the bed as a couple if you are not intimate outside the bedroom. So intimacy goes beyond the activities in the bedroom.
Intimacy is about how he is thoughtful about you and things concerning you. Intimacy is about how you occupy her heart. Intimacy is in those cares and little acts of kindness. Intimacy is in how nothing else competes with you in his heart, where your love is indeed better than wine. Intimacy is in how you look out for one another. It’s in those random calls to say, “I was just thinking of you.”
My dear couples, do you have this burning intimacy between you and your spouse? No? Then it’s something to begin to strongly desire, pray for, and work toward. Marriage was designed for this kind of beauty.
My dear singles, that one professing love for and to you, do you really weigh in his/her heart? Or are you simply a makeshift? Are you Someone he/she is just settling for because age is no longer a friend? Wash your eyes and marry well, my dear.
“Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: For thy LOVE IS BETTER THAN WINE.”
Kai… I can’t seem to get over this. There is really something strong going on here.
What the bride was simply saying here is: Our love is intoxicating. Our love for each other is better than any other thing.
Their hearts were strongly locked in desire for one another.
Dear couple, don’t settle for less.
Not by constantly nagging your spouse, but by intentionally becoming an intimate partner while gently nudging your spouse. Plant that random kiss. Send that random text message that says “I care,” or “I’m thinking about you.” Be thoughtful and secretly buy that thing for your spouse and gift him/her.
Dear single, don’t settle for less.
Marriage is meant to be beautiful, so don’t settle for someone who doesn’t value you. Become that person who intentionally loves and doesn’t settle for one who is not. The LORD has someone amazing for you too; but if you don’t break up with the one occupying space, how will you receive the one God has for you?
As we continue reflecting on how we can make our relationships and marriages better in this new year, I wish to show you one key principle that I believe will surely make things better in your life. It’s in the book of Ephesians:
“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” Ephesians 4:2-3
This is one verse that shows us that love is not just words (nor emotions), it requires effort. It can be easy to profess love verbally, but can you decide to really ACT IN LOVE this year and beyond? Don’t just SAY LOVE, ACT LOVE. Without corresponding actions of love, our profession of love can easily become like the noise of a clanging cymbal to our person. The Scripture says to be “patient, bearing with one another IN LOVE,” meaning that it is love that produces this action. Love always produces corresponding actions, so don’t just verbalize love, DO love.
“FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3: 16 NKJV
What is your love making you DO? You need to start asking yourself this question.
Love should make you strive to be a better partner.
Love should make you be patient, and bear with your spouse. For singles, this is not saying you should go ahead and marry someone who is already verbally, emotionally, and physically abusing you even when you are not yet married. To you, I say, “Flee o.”
Love will make you go out of your way to seek the good of your partner.
Love does not traffic in shame and disrespect. Love does not selfishly seek its own honor.
Love is not easily irritated or quick to take offense. Love joyfully celebrates honesty and finds no delight in what is wrong. Love is a safe place of shelter, for it never stops believing the best for others. Love never takes failure as defeat, for it never gives up. 1 Corinthians 13:5-7 TPT
Do you have the DOINGS of love, or is it just the SAYINGS?
Selah.
P.S.:
For singles, don’t just be carried away with the nice words, look beyond… look for the actions.
