DAILY DEVOTION

WEEK THREE

15TH JANUARY

LUXURY

I watched a documentary about poverty in the European countries. One issue most of them had was homelessness. Most of the poor people were working and receiving salaries alright but it wasn't enough to afford rent. Most of them owned cars, which is a flash of wealth in our part of the world, but to them it meant nothing. So, these homeless workers have no choice but to sleep in their cars at the end of every day. It's simple, what you may brag about is the least valuable someone has.

16TH JANUARY

A GUARDIAN

The first time I opened a dictionary, I was confused. I found it difficult to search for words because there were so many of them under a letter. My grandfather taught me that, just as the alphabets are in order, the spelling of words also follow an order. Hence the first word under an alphabet would begin with that letter and the first vowel; the rest follow that trend. Living without guidance can also be confusing, everything you see seems like a good move to make; but I wonder how long you can survive. You don't just need guidance; you also need a guardian.

17TH JANUARY

PEOPLE OF VALUE

What do thieves want? What have they been stealing? Are the things of value? Thieves don't steal worthless things; they seek things of value. If a man is of value, then there is no way, he wouldn't be sought. There's nothing valuable in a dead man but a living man is of value. The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy; you may wonder why you can't enjoy life without plights. Remember that the thief only seeks things of value, and you certainly are of value. Evil only seeks good to destroy it. The devil still wants what God owns.

18TH JANUARY

WORST FEARS

What is your worst fear? Is it your weakness, failure, injection, surgery or death? What constitutes your worst fear? Have you thought of an escape plan, if you have to face it? I've thought of faith and fear. It's your worst fear so it's only normal if you are afraid but it's never the best solution. What is your solution going to be, Faith or Fear?

19TH JANUARY

A PRESENT HELP

I find assurance in this. Psalm 46:1-3

God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear though the earth should change. Though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea. Though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult.

Sometimes you need to remind yourself that only God has the best solution.

20TH JANUARY

LETTING GO

Some things may seem useful but literally they are setbacks. When gold is extracted from the ground, it is refined before it's put to use. Why is that so? After all its gold. Holding onto so many things only prevents you from focusing on relevant stuff. Some things we hold on to are like cobwebs; they only keep us busy. Let go.

21ST JANUARY

COMPLAINING

Truthfully, there are some situations that you wouldn't have control over; I guess it happens occasionally. The easiest solution we find is complaining and whining, we all develop that attitude. Complaining only serves as a reminder that the situation you find yourself in is more than you can take, complaining only weakens you. It breaks you and leaves you vulnerable; that is when you go beyond boundaries to resolve your issues. Complaining doesn't solve problems, it makes them bigger.

22ND JANUARY

YEARNING FOR MORE

We all want more than we already have. We focus on things we think are best for us, so we don't appreciate what we have.

When you always yearn for a table, and you have a chair; it's obvious you wouldn't appreciate it. This is because you don't have what you think is best for you. Our expectations are what we think are better for us, but God gives us what's best since He made us, and He knows best.

23RD JANUARY

JUST LIKE A KID

I wish to be a kid. It's a carefree stage in human life. You can attest to the fact that babysitting is stressful, but they don't really see the point in the things you do for them. They laugh when you are angry. They cry when they are hungry. They don't have any burden; they are like balloons. They will soar high into the sky if you allow them. When all seems lost; act like a kid and you will be fine.

24TH JANUARY

THE WRONG PLACE

Getting into the wrong place can be a hindrance to your progress. Imagine a lion walking into a rabbit hole; it may be possible but not without stress. Somewhere along the line it might get stuck. After the lion has managed to free itself, it would give up the hunt because it is exhausted. When you enter the wrong place, it's either you come out or you don't and when you do; it becomes difficult to move forward because you have been weakened. Be mindful of the places you enter.

25TH JANUARY

APPRECIATION

How long did it take to find a needle you had dropped on the floor? For my ladies, how long does it take to find an earring dropped on the floor? Imagine looking for a needle in a haystack; you might as well get comfortable, because it's going to take a long time. When you lose a valuable thing in life, it's difficult to get it back. Appreciate every little thing that comes your way, it might not be of benefit now but it sure would be in future. Remember that it is difficult to retrieve things you have lost.

26TH JANUARY

DONT END THE LIFE

When you walk to the edge of a cliff; it's either you jump over it, or you walk back to the very beginning of your journey. This is how suicide takes place. When some people make it to the edge of the cliff in their lives, the options are to start life again or give up by jumping. Some of them don't have the energy to start, whiles others don't believe that going back can be any better. One thing they never know is that after the jump, there's a new beginning of regret. A world where they can't do anything better for themselves; a world with no more cliffs to jump. If you are still standing at the edge of the cliff, keep one thing in mind; when you jump, it's not the end. It's only the beginning of torture.

27TH JANUARY

A KING WHO CARES

There once lived a king who ruled his people. He was generous but his people disobeyed him. He decided to overlook it and forgive them, but they kept doing it. Then he decided to punish them; each wrong act attracted a punishment, but things didn't change. Then he decided to live among the people and help them change their bad ways. We all live with this king now, are you going to change or are you going to watch his efforts go down the drain?

28TH JANUARY

A PLANNED LIFE

An architect always draws a plan for a building. Why do they go through that stress? Can't they build without a plan? A building plan is as important as the building materials. With a plan, the workers all get in line and ensure that the building is well structured. When the workers refuse to go according to the plan, then there would be a fault. So, first, your life has its plan by the architect and you as the worker have to follow it or your life will not be well structured. Don't forget that the architect supervises your life but at the end of the day, you are the one working on your life.