Things to Pen down from Peninnah

The story of Hannah in the bible is one we are all familiar with. Hannah was married to a very devoted husband,a polygamist and who in spite of having children from one wife and no child at all from the other, did not mistreat the barren wife for that reason.

1^st Samuel 1:1

Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim Zophim, of themountains of Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph,an Ephraimite. 2And he had two wives: the name of one wasHannah, and the name of the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.

Nowadays, a lot of men are not so supportive of their wives especially when she is delayed in having the fruit of the woman. It’s sad to see men joining forces with their family members to mount pressure on such a woman and in some cases; another woman is brought to the house as a wife. I used to think it happened only in home videos, but there are a lot of true life stories that portray this anomaly.

Peninnah was already blessed with children, but instead of empathizing with Hannah, she chose to make her life miserable.  She had a proud look and proud words came out of her mouth as well.The bible in 1^st Samuel 1: 6 says that Hannah’s rival (Peninnah) “provoked her severely, to make her miserable”. There are loads of instances of people provoking others to make them miserable.  It’s an act of wickedness out there nowadays which is not limited to only family settings. We see colleagues envying and back stabbing colleagues in order to get the person’s position or in order to rise through the ladder. We see a friend painting another friend bad so as to be in the good books of another friend. We see even siblings warring against each other for no just cause. The devil is at the root of all of these no doubt! 

Peninnah can be likened to a modern day man or woman who’s got so much of possessions and cruelly treats those who don’t have as much as he or she does. A Peninnah will look down on you at the slightest opportunity, just because you have a need or you don’t seem to measure as much as they do in the society. They just delight in provoking people sorely, for no good reason. Even if there’s a good reason to get back at your neighbor for a wrongdoing, it's best left in God’s hands to handle.

A Peninnah is a proud person who has no authority or regard for those who are ahead of her and could talk to anyone rudely .The bible listed Hannah as first and  Peninnah as the second wife and most likely Hannah was the older wife; in terms of age and even in marriage. It was apparent Elkanah loved Hannah and if Peninnah regarded him, should she not have shown some amount of respect for Hannah as well? Maybe Elkannah bowed to pressure at some point to marry another wife since his first wife was not bearing children; might have been a difficult one for him but he was devoted and committed to her; never maltreating Hannah for a single day.

1^st Samuel 1:19-Then they rose early in the morning and worshiped before the Lord, and returned and came to their house at Ramah. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and the Lord remembered her.20So it came to pass in the process of time that Hannah conceived and bore a son, and called his name Samuel,saying, “Because I have asked for him from the Lord.”

God is never far away from the weak, the vulnerable and helpless. It won’t be long before he justifies the needy, the poor and sets them on high to ride with princes. He is the One who shuts the mouths of the Peninnahs and puts a song in the mouths of the Hannahs of life.  Peninnah’s name was mentioned expressly three times and referred to twice, all in five (5) verses in 1st Samuel and thereafter, we never heard about her again. It looked like she was having the upper hand, the final say with her many sons and daughters but not even a single name was mentioned amongst her children as becoming anything great, neither was anything heard about them again.

Hannah waited for years before she bore the  promise child; Samuel , the great prophet of all times who brought about a revolution to Israel and her wait would be eternally celebrated. It seemed God was coming late, but He came big. The truth is God never makes mistakes. There was a need for him to send a prophet into the world, and there was a woman who was willing to give up a child God gave her unto Him for His use; talk of an equilibrium point between Demand and Supply!

God heard her heartfelt prayer, granted her desires and gave her 5 more children after Samuel. I stand to be corrected, but I think one of the reasons why we never heard about Peninnah was because she must have  packed away from her husband’s house in shame.

1^st Samuel 2:18

But Samuel ministered before the Lord, even as a child,wearing a linen ephod. 19Moreover his mother used to make him a little robe, and bring it to him year by year when shecame up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice. 20And Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, and say, “The Lord give you descendants from this woman for the loan that was given to the Lord.” Then they would go to their own home.

In chapter one, Elkanah was always going to Shiloh with his "family"  but as time went on, year after year, we see only Hannah coming up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice. Where was Peninah! As long as she was on the face of the earth and lived in Israel in those days, she must have gotten to know how influential Samuel was, how powerfully God was using him and how proud Hannah must have been. She must have been ashamed of those years in which she humiliated Hannah and she probably might have  wallowed in shame and died in obscurity.

You may be in a position of influence right now, all may be going well, and you may have a lot of people under you. Keep it real, remain sane, remain under the shadow of the Almighty, and give all the glory to Him. God changes times and seasons, He resists the proud but always, He will grace to the humble!

With God in the picture of our lives,our stories will end well; only in favour of those who seek and hold on to Him!

Do you know Jesus as your Lord and Saviour yet? If you don’t, then say the prayers Here.

The Pen.....

Picture Credit:maralynnash.com.au

Esther: A Star not without a Scar

E.S.T.H.E.R!

The story of Esther is a bestseller and one of the most interesting stories in the bible that would generate so much at the box office within the first few days of release if made into a movie. Behind every glory is a story birthed in lowly and sometimes gory circumstances. She had been through so much trouble in life already; from being an orphan to growing up under the tutelage of her cousin Mordecai (she was Mordecai’s uncle’s daughter) who had also been carried into slavery. She was beautiful physically but nothing was beautiful about her circumstances. Sometimes, being raised up by parents who are struggling financially could be difficult, not to talk of being raised by an uncle who himself was in captivity.

By and large, with her years shrouded in obscurity, pain, conflict and in spite of the difficult upbringing, God granted her favour and through a rigorous but divinely orchestrated process, she became the Queen. Wow! A nobody had suddenly become the toast of the nation and the most powerful woman of the kingdom. Considering what she had gone through, there should never have come any challenges her way again. But just as she was settling in into the unquantifiable bliss of becoming a queen after the world's most glamorous wedding party, the honeymoon in the most exotic parts of the world, servants and eunuchs being appointed for her; from being a servant to having many servants, trouble started again………..

Let’s dive into the scriptures quickly.

Esther 3: 13 “And the letters were sent by couriers into all the king’s provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all the Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, and to plunder their possessions”.

Esther 4: 3 “And in every province where the king’s command and decree arrived, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes”.4 So Esther’s maids and eunuchs came and told her, and the queen was deeply distressed. Then she sent garments to clothe Mordecai and take his sackcloth away from him, but he would not accept them”.

What if after becoming queen, Esther had become like the women of the kingdom? What if she had forgotten God? What if she didn't know how to pray and fast again? What if she had cut off the ties with Mordecai her mentor and "father"? The challenge she was facing now, appeared to be more intense than what she had gone through growing up. This was a matter of life and death. If something was not done, she was going to be killed herself. Nothing is as terrifying as having a death threat over one’s life. Common, for someone who had gone through so much in life, hers should have been a story of “and she lived happily ever after”

Have you ever asked yourself just as I have done and still do, why sometimes some circumstances you face as a Christian look way bigger and way more tumultuous than what you have gone through even as an unbeliever? I have discovered in life that everyone determines to a large extent what they become. Life may offer you LIME in the occurrence of a sour situation, but that situation can bring you into LIMELIGHT and make you drive in a LIMOUSINE to the admiration of everyone and to the shame of the limitations men have placed on you! Life doesn't want to know how much you have been through in the past and because of that exonerate you from some of the tantrums it throws. The devil doesn't care if he has thrown darts your way before; after all the bible says he goes around, looking for whom to devour; so he is always on the prowl. But glory to Jesus! In spite of the many troubles of the world, He says to us- “Cheer up, I have overcome the world”.

This victory is not enforced by sitting and whining over things that are not working. It comes by praying, declaring, confessing tenaciously all God has ordained for us until we see them manifest! Yes these things work! And sometimes too, whilst you are celebrating and jubilating over an achievement or success, it is not the time to go into a state of comatose in your quiet time, in your walk with God and in your service to him. “Not slothful in business, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord” is what the bible admonishes. This is not to say as Christian women we should live in fear. No it’s a call to be on top of our game in enforcing the kingdom of God over our homes, our children, our careers and in everything we do at all times.

Eve was so relaxed when the devil came with the onslaught against humanity and she fell for it. Micah had a nonchalant attitude towards life, towards the Lord’s anointed and she didn't see anything bad in castigating her husband- David (a man God loved unrepentantly) because He was dancing for His Maker. Should she not have been at the forefront of the dancing troupe, singing and dancing to the God who gives her husband victory all the time?

It is time to do away with the “God why me” disposition, the talks of “Life is so unfair to me”, the sympathies of people (who would even make jest of you behind your back). These are the days in which by His Grace, we would rise up, facing those challenges that come our way by the might of the Most High God like Deborah who took the bulls by the horn even when the highways were deserted and AROSE as a mother in Israel!

Esther won her battles; you and I will win ours too!

The joy of the Lord is our strength and He makes us more than overcomers in all of these things……….Selah

Do you know Jesus as your Lord and Saviour yet? If you don’t, then say the prayers Here.

The Pen...

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Who's Speaking at the Palace for You?

I recently had the opportunity of speaking on behalf of an employee of a company I consult for , who was at the verge of being sacked. Unknown to him, his termination was being discussed. He apparently had his many strengths,but unfortunately he also had a weakness which was becoming increasingly unacceptable. It was almost concluded; he was to be sacked! However I was able to put forward a case for him and gratefully, it was accepted.

As  I drove home that night, I meditated on that incident and wondered what would have happened if there was no one speaking and appealing on behalf of the employee in question. And instantly, my mind flashed back to Vashti in the Bible. Remember Vashti? She was a Queen; the first wife of Ahaserus , the king  of  the Persian Kingdom  who later took Esther as Queen after Vashti was deposed.(Read Esther chapter 1).

What was Vashti’s offence, why was she deposed?  The king had been feasting and when his heart was merry with wine, he felt it was time to show off his beautiful Queen but for some reason known to her, she decided not to come out. Yes it must have been a huge offence but below is what broke the camel’s back in her case.

16And Memucan answered before the king and the princes: “Queen Vashti has not only wronged the king, but also all the princes, and all the people who are in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus.

19If it pleases the king, let a royal decree go out from him, and let it be recorded in the laws of the Persians and the Medes, so that it will not be altered, that Vashti shall come no more before King Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal position to another who is better than she( Esther 1:16, 19)

Imagine if there was someone who pleaded to the King on behalf of Vashti. She probably would not have been deposed. If there was someone who would remind the king about her good works in time past, she probably would not have been sent away. However, the only one who could have spoken for her, was speaking against her.

In life, at strategic locations and places; we need people who would speak in our favour and recommend us. Let’s not forget that David was recommended before Saul at the palace. As time went on, Jonathan his friend must have spoken well of him at the palace too. Joseph had someone speaking for him at the palace and that was why Pharaoh quickly sent for him. Daniel and his friends, one way or the other were mentioned before the king. Mephibosheth, Saul’s grandson was mentioned before King David and forever, his life never remained the same.

God is the Master Connector; He places people in our lives who would speak something positive about us to the boss, at the interview panel, in church and wherever. May we not miss these destiny helpers. May our helpers not be helpless or absent where and when they should be speaking for us. Vashti vanished into obscurity, because no one was speaking up for her. But didn't she have children? how  come we never heard anything whatsoever about her or her posterity? Whenever you have the opportunity, please speak up for someone who needs it. You may be preserving an entire generation! Speak for the oppressed, the afflicted, the orphans, the destitute, the needy. Sometimes speaking for them entails giving to them!

Above all, it is comforting to know that Jesus is forever speaking for us at the palace of the Almighty King! The One who died for us—who was raised to life for us!—is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us! Romans 8:35( Message version)

Do you know Jesus as your Lord and Saviour yet? If you don’t, then say the prayers Here.

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Don't Jettison the Lessons of your Seasons!

Dearly Esteemed Readers!

How have you all being? I apologize I haven’t been here in a while, it just occurred that I didn't even write any article for the month of March. So much to do, work wise but I kept noting the inspirations I got and I would be publishing them in the next few days/weeks.

Permit me to quickly share with you an inspiration I got whilst praying a couple of days ago. I was having a conversation in my mind about how I have fared in my walk with God. You see, I have been born again for about nineteen years (19) and I have had a lot of ups and downs in my Christian race. One of those worth mentioning is when my dad asked me to leave the house if being born again was the route I was going to take (what you would call persecution). I remember also when I had the opportunity of leading a fellowship of both students and indigenes back in University. Hmmmn….. I have had moments of great zeal such as going for night vigils about  3 times in a week; beautiful moments of service to God in different departments, rural outreaches and all sorts. I am glad I am still very born again; I have grown over the years in my walk with God and I have enjoyed deeper levels with God.

So as I was reminiscing in prayers about where I started from in my Christian sojourn; remembering the challenges, the good times and the not too pleasant ones, it occurred to me, there are 4 stages of a man's experience in his work with the Lord and in his sojourn as a Christian.

ON EAGLES WINGS

The first (1st) season is when the Lord bares us on Eagle's wings.This season of Life is when we have just come to know the Lord. It’s a beautiful discovery that Christ loved us so much that He gave His life for us. As we work with the Lord, we experience a satisfaction that comes from knowing Him and His zeal consumes us so much. Things might be tough around us but we don’t even notice, all we want is just that inexplicable fellowship with the lover of our souls. For some people, before they make a prayer request, the answer drops right in front of us. The Lord does the SOARING; we just cruise on His altitude. We fly so high, achieve so much and many times, it’s as if we are doing these things by our own power. Little do we realize God is the one flying, doing all the work. This we often experience many times at the beginning of our Christian sojourn. The Israelites experienced this season just as they came out of Egypt. They had been delivered from years of bondage and had just experienced a real life drowning of their enemies in the Red sea as it paved way for them to cross over. I doubt if any movie producer can depict that act in any way close to the way it happened.

“Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: ⁴ ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself. (Exodus 19:3b-4)

CARRIED IN HIS ARMS

The second (2nd) season is when He starts to WALK and He carries us. This time around, movement may be a little slower but He's still the one doing the walking. We are safely tucked in His loving arms. At this stage, we do not necessarily realize the drop in the speed of movement and little do we realize there are trials and temptations; because we just breeze through them in His arms. He does the navigation and the making straight of the paths.

He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm,
And carry them in His bosom, And gently lead those who are with young. (Isaiah 40:11)

Even to your old age, I am He and even to gray hairs I will carry you!
I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.(Isaiah 46:4)

WALKING THROUGH IT ALL

The third (3) season is when He put us down, for us to WALK by ourselves, BUT He walks with us. This is the season of …”when I walk -through the valley of the shadow of death” (Psalm 23:4), “when I walk through the fire and the waters”.....These are times when it looks like God isn't with us and life's circumstances become too heavy to bear. He guides us but we do the navigation by ourselves. Sometimes we miss it and have to come back but He never leaves us. These are the most difficult times. At this stage of our walk with God is when godly character is built in us. Many a times, we linger too much because we do not learn the lessons we are meant to learn. Imagine the Israelites staying in the wilderness for 40 years and almost all of them perishing there.

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned,
Nor shall the flame scorch you.( Isaiah 43:2)

MOUNT WITH WINGS

The last season which is the fourth (4th) is the stage of "those that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength and MOUNT UP with wings as Eagles" .....After walking and learning to "wait" on Him, He qualifies us to be able to soar by ourselves. Remember we started out with Him by soaring: but He was the one doing the soaring with us on His wings. This time around we soar, and soar, our arms strengthened; we can look into challenges in the eye and remain unshaken”. At this stage, just like any other stage, He is still with us, because "underneath are His everlasting arms"

The eternal God is your refuge,

And underneath are the everlasting arms; He will thrust out the enemy from before you, And will say, ‘Destroy!’( Deuteronomy 33:27).

When it looks like we are going to fall, His arms are right under to pick us. We have mastered the art of walking, we have known what it means to abound and abase and there's nothing that can shake us any longer. And at this stage, we can pour out ourselves to be a blessing to many around us.

But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.( Isaiah 40:31).

Friend, have you been able to identify what season of life you are? No matter how tough things are, I can assure you God loves you much and He will never let go of you. Do not jettison the lessons of each season!Don't give up your walk with God because of your present challenges or whatever you may be going through. It's a process, a tunnel and soon you will burst into light and limelight. Ever imagined what Joseph went through those 13 years interval between his dream and when he became Egypt's Prime Minister?

The lessons of life become your trophies, don't throw them away!

You will have a safe landing!

 Do you know Jesus as your Lord and Saviour yet? If you don’t, then say the prayers Here.

The Pen...

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You are Special.....Especially You!

I know!

Yes I know it's been a while I published a post but I'm back and it feels good. I have been quite inundated with a couple of projects here and there and I am so excited to be able to sit and blog today. I miss writing and I miss the regular feedback I get from readers. A big thank you to those who are my fans and those who have kept checking back and again for a new post.

So I came across a beautiful write up by Max Lucado's and it so blessed me. I thought to share it with you too.

You Are Special by Max Lucado

 The Wemmicks were small wooden people. Each of the wooden people was carved by a woodworker named Eli. His workshop sat on a hill overlooking their village. Every Wemmick was different. Some had big noses, others had large eyes. Some were tall and others were short. Some wore hats, others wore coats. But all were made by the same carver and all lived in the village. And all day, every day, the Wemmicks did the same thing: They gave each other stickers. Each Wemmick had a box of golden star stickers and a box of gray dot stickers. Up and down the streets all over the city, people could be seen sticking stars or dots on one another. The pretty ones, those with smooth wood and fine paint, always got stars. But if the wood was rough or the paint chipped, the Wemmicks gave dots. The talented ones got stars, too. Some could lift big sticks high above their heads or jump over tall boxes. Still others knew big words or could sing very pretty songs. Everyone gave them stars.

Some Wemmicks had stars all over them! Every time they got a star it made them feel so good that they did something else and got another star. Others, though, could do little. They got dots.

Punchinello was one of these. He tried to jump high like the others, but he always fell. And when he fell, the others would gather around and give him dots.

Sometimes when he fell, it would scar his wood, so the people would give him more dots. He would try to explain why he fell and say something silly, and the Wemmicks would give him more dots. After a while he had so many dots that he didn't want to go outside. He was afraid he would do something dumb such as forget his hat or step in the water, and then people would give him another dot. In fact, he had so many gray dots that some people would come up and give him one without reason. "He deserves lots of dots," the wooden people would agree with one another. "He's not a good wooden person."

After a while Punchinello believed them. "I'm not a good Wemmick," he would say. The few times he went outside, he hung around other Wemmicks who had a lot of dots. He felt better around them. One day he met a Wemmick who was unlike any he'd ever met. She had no dots or stars. She was just wooden. Her name was Lucia. It wasn't that people didn't try to give her stickers; it's just that the stickers didn't stick. Some admired Lucia for having no dots, so they would run up and give her a star. But it would fall off. Some would look down on her for having no stars, so they would give her a dot. But it wouldn't stay either. “That's the way I want to be,” thought Punchinello. “I don't want anyone's marks.” So he asked the stickerless Wemmick how she did it.

"It's easy," Lucia replied. "Every day I go see Eli."

"Eli?"

"Yes, Eli. The woodcarver. I sit in the workshop with him."

"Why?"

"Why don't you find out for yourself? Go up the hill. He's there."

And with that the Wemmick with no marks turned and skipped away. "But he won't want to see me!" Punchinello cried out. Lucia didn't hear. So Punchinello went home. He sat near a window and watched the wooden people as they scurried around giving each other stars and dots. "It's not right," he muttered to himself. And he resolved to go see Eli. He walked up the narrow path to the top of the hill and stepped into the big shop. His wooden eyes widened at the size of everything. The stool was as tall as he was. He had to stretch on his tiptoes to see the top of the workbench. A hammer was as long as his arm. Punchinello swallowed hard. "I'm not staying here!" and he turned to leave. Then he heard his name.

"Punchinello?" The voice was deep and strong. Punchinello stopped. "Punchinello! How good to see you. Come and let me have a look at you."

Punchinello turned slowly and looked at the large bearded craftsman. "You know my name?" the little Wemmick asked.

"Of course I do. I made you." Eli stooped down and picked him up and set him on the bench. "Hmm," the maker spoke thoughtfully as he inspected the gray circles. "Looks like you've been given some bad marks."

"I didn't mean to, Eli. I really tried hard."

"Oh, you don't have to defend yourself to me, child. I don't care what the other Wemmicks think."

"You don't?"

“No, and you shouldn't either. Who are they to give stars or dots? They're Wemmicks just like you. What they think doesn't matter, Punchinello. All that matters is what I think. And I think you are pretty special."

Punchinello laughed. "Me, special? Why? I can't walk fast. I can't jump. My paint is peeling. Why do I matter to you?"

Eli looked at Punchinello, put his hands on those small wooden shoulders, and spoke very slowly. "Because you're mine. That's why you matter to me."

Punchinello had never had anyone look at him like this - much less his maker. He didn't know what to say.

"Every day I've been hoping you'd come," Eli explained.

"I came because I met someone who had no marks."

"I know. She told me about you."

"Why don't the stickers stay on her?"

"Because she has decided that what I think is more important than what they think. The stickers only stick if you let them."

"What?"

"The stickers only stick if they matter to you. The more you trust my love, the less you care about the stickers."

"I'm not sure I understand."

"You will, but it will take time. You've got a lot of marks. For now, just come to see me every day and let me remind you how much I care." Eli lifted Punchinello off the bench and set him on the ground. "Remember," Eli said as the Wemmick walked out the door. "You are special because I made you. And I don't make mistakes."

Punchinello didn't stop, but in his heart he thought, "I think he really means it." And when he did, a dot fell to the ground.

May all your dots fall silently to the ground, for if given by man, they matter only to other men. When given the choice, pass out stars, drop the dots in the trash.

  

Hope this has brightened your day and  made you smile...

The Pen...

Photo credit: Google images

Something to Glean from The Queen- Sheba

Here’s wishing everyone a happy New Year!

Thank God we are here. Wow! In spite of all, we made it through. And we have been given the opportunity of managing about 365 days no one has ever lived in. Hand in hand with God, we can call the shots, navigate our paths through any tumultuous storms, achieve our goals and live our best lives so far! I can assure you that 2014 promises to be a very great year and our best ever.

I am aware that every New Year, almost all churches; if not all, declare a motto or tenet  for that year. In my church, 2014 has been declared our year of supernatural Upgrade, I kid you not, I am enjoying the upgrade already. For some other churches, It's a year of Overflow, Year of Harvest, Year of Exceeding grace, Year of laughter and all. The truth is the womb of every year is loaded with many benefits and thank God we have directions in church on what God is set to do, But doing a quick introspection and looking back at last year, let’s ask ourselves - were we able to truly walk out and experience whatever the year was declared as the tenet? As we joyfully anticipate great things happening in 2014, please let us prepare ourselves, deliberately work towards achieving our goals and in partnership with God, we will succeed.

I love to do a study of characters in the Bible. I believe that for everyone mentioned in the word of God, there is a purpose. For every incident or story, there is something to learn. A lot of people existed around the times of these recorded people but were not mentioned. So if these were mentioned, there’s something we can glean from them.

Each time I read the story of Solomon in the bible, it amazes me the extent to which a man can be loved, blessed and endowed  by God . This post is not about Solomon but in studying his life, I came across one of the characters he had dealing with and I was able to quickly identify some amazing things about this woman named the Queen of Sheba. She was one of the ancient monarchs that existed around the time of Solomon. I identified about seven (7) principles which can be applied in our modern day business, career and personal lives.

1Now when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, she came to test him with hard questions. 2She came to Jerusalem with a very great retinue, with camels that bore spices, very much gold, and precious stones; and when she came to Solomon, she spoke with him about all that was in her heart. 3So Solomon answered all her questions; there was nothing so difficult for the king that he could not explain it to her. 

4And when the queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, 5the food on his table, the seating of his servants, the service of his waiters and their apparel, his cupbearers, and his entryway by which he went up to the house of the Lord, there was no more spirit in her. ( Ist Kings 10)

1.   Exposure.

She had enough exposure herself, being a rich monarch, but she was willing to be more exposed. She heard about the fame of Solomon the blessed of the Lord and she was more than pleased to leave her land to come see what his fame was all about. This year, go out of your usual way of doing things. Seek to acquire knowledge in your chosen field, travel if you have to. Feed your mind , feed your eyes with things that will inspire you.

2. Eagerness to learn.

Verse 2 of the scripture quoted above shows that she just didn't come to see, she was willing to learn, this was a lifetime opportunity for her. At that time, many would have loved to see Solomon the wisest king of all times and here she was, she asked questions and Solomon answered all of them, even the hardest. Many of us have the opportunity to mingle with highly successful but most times, we are carried away by the fancy and paparazzi, a few people actually tap into the opportunity of learning from great men. Some are envious, so they can’t even ask. It doesn't matter what you have achieved in life; just keep learning and seek to acquire knowledge.Enquire, Seek to be educated...

6Then she said to the king: “It was a true report which I heard in my own land about your words and your wisdom. 7However I did not believe the words until I came and saw with my own eyes; and indeed the half was not told me. Your wisdom and prosperity exceed the fame of which I heard. 

3. Eagle-eyed.

She came and within a short period, she was able to observe almost everything happening in Solomon’s kingdom. She was discussing with the king but at the same time, she was observing everything: The house that he had built, the food on his table, the seating of his servants, the service of his waiters and their apparel and the appearance of  his cup bearers. I am certain she went back to replicate those things in her own kingdom. When you see things that are beautiful, well run, well organized or maybe someone who does things excellently, what’s your reaction? Do you glean from it, do you have mental souvenirs from those experiences, do you see things you can take back home with yourself, and probably things you can do better? Be eagle- eyed. Nature teaches us the beautiful works of our God and we can learn from those who have beautifully applied what God has endowed them with.

4. Endorse  others.

When you see something great in the lives of those around you, endorse, appreciate and acknowledge them. By doing so, your gifting will multiply, you will draw grace and wisdom as well. The Queen of Sheba told Solomon that even though she had heard of his greatness, what she had seen with her eyes surpassed what she had been told. They were supposed to be contemporaries but she was not intimidated, she acknowledged every good things she saw!

However I did not believe the words until I came and saw with my own eyes; and indeed the half was not told me. Your wisdom and prosperity exceed the fame of which I heard. 8Happy are your men and happy are these your servants, who stand continually before you and hear your wisdom! 9Blessed be the Lord your God, who delighted in you, setting you on the throne of Israel! Because the Lord has loved Israel forever, therefore He made you king, to do justice and righteousness (1^st Kings 10: 7-9)

5. Exchange.

Oh how I love the wisdom of this woman. She was going to go visit the wisest, richest and most endowed king of her time, what gifts would she have gone with that he wouldn't have. But the bible records that she came with so much as  gifts to the king.  Let’s see what she gave. Then she gave the king one hundred and twenty talents of gold, spices in great quantity, and precious stones. There never again came such abundance of spices as the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon. 11Also, the ships of Hiram, which brought gold from Ophir, brought great quantities of almug wood and precious stones from Ophir. 12And the king made steps of the almug wood for the house of the Lord and for the king’s house, also harps and stringed instruments for singers. There never again came such almug wood, nor has the like been seen to this day. (1^st Kings 10: 10-12)

Wow wow! What a strong and wise woman she was!  In return, the bible records that she got all she desired from the King. She was noted to be generous and there was nothing she asked the king for that she didn't get. Abraham entertained strangers and that was the encounter that necessitated the birth of Isaac. Givers will always be rewarded. Make this year your best year ever in terms of giving. Give to those who don’t have, as a blessing. Give to those who have, tou will be blessed as well.

6. Ebullient.

To be ebullient means to be overflowing with fervor, enthusiasm or excitement. This woman came to the presence of the King enthusiastic. She looked forward to the trip, planned for it and yours truly; she got more than she bargained for. Some encounters never leave you the same. She saw so much that there was no spirit left with her, of course her spirit revived and she went back home more blessed. Proverbs 22: 29, the bible says a man’s gift will make him stand before kings. I’ll say a good disposition will make him heartily welcomed by the king. Remember David’s encounter before Saul ? The bible records that He was ruddy, and of a good countenance and goodly to look unto (1^st Sam 16: 12). Have the best disposition ever this New Year! Full of joy and radiant, the Queen wasn't’t haughty when she came to see Solomon, in spite of her wealth, she was really eager to make good use of that opportunity and the king warmed up to her.

7.  Enjoy.

She came around to Jerusalem with her retinue and had audience with the king, she observed everything going around. She enjoyed herself! I’ll say give yourself a treat in 2014. Eat, Pray, Love, like that movie title says. Be hard working and compensate yourself. Enjoy and appreciate whatever you have, no matter how little it is. Enjoy your family, friendships, finance, career and everything God has blessed you with.

In conclusion, if these people we have been talking about, operated in such a great wealth and prosperity in the Old Testament, how much more we, that Christ died for and has brought to the Father as His Sons and Daughters. Our success should by every means surpass what they have achieved. Matthew 6 says Solomon with all his wealth, is not as beautiful as the lilies of the fields and we are of more importance to God than they are.  We have the opportunity to feast and dine with our own King; The King of kings and Lord of lords un-endlessly. His wealth is ours, He is our father! You and I, in Partnership with our Lord are destined for unimaginable, unspeakable, never-attained heights in 2014!

Do you know Jesus as your Lord and Saviour yet? If you don’t, then say the prayers Here.

You definitely will succeed!

The Pen….

Picture Image: Depositphotos