Nineveh: A Love Redefined.

Growing up as a teen in the choir, there was a song we always turned to when looking for a piece to sing during our Valentine’s Day programs. Whenever we couldn’t agree on a song, this one by Hezekiah Walker was our go-to. The lyrics, “Love is patient, caring. Love is kind. Love is felt most when it’s genuine,” always resonated with us. But despite the beauty of these words, Love has been abused, manipulated, and misused.

This song is a beautiful reminder of what love is meant to be. It teaches us that God's love is the foundation that allows us to love genuinely. You can’t truly say you love someone if you don’t know what love is. God is love. It's striking how, often, people who claim to be in love can’t stand each other after a breakup—that is a love that is not genuine.

God’s love is evident in the story of Jonah. When God gave Jonah the task of delivering a message to Nineveh, Jonah tried to escape, but he ended up in the belly of a fish. Even in his disobedience, God’s love was evident. For three days, God protected Jonah, ensuring he wasn’t harmed or digested by the fish. God was patient with him, even in his disobedience. Jonah 2:1 says, “In my distress I called to the Lord, and He answered me. From deep in the realm of the dead, I called for help, and You listened to my cry.” Jonah’s gratitude for God’s love and patience is clear, especially after God saved him from the fish’s belly.

When Jonah obeyed and took God’s message to Nineveh, the people believed, turned from their evil ways, and God, in His love, relented from the destruction He had planned. Jonah 3:10 tells us, “When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, He relented and did not bring on them the destruction He had threatened.”

But even after this, Jonah became angry. In Jonah 4:1-2, it says, “But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry. And he prayed to the Lord and said, ‘I pray You, O Lord, was this not my saying when I was still in my country? Therefore, I fled before to Tarshish; for I knew that You are a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and You relent from doing harm.’”

It’s often easy to believe that some people are unworthy of God’s love, based on their actions. But God, the Creator of all, shows no partiality. He sends rain on both the righteous and the unrighteous, the wealthy and the poor. This is the kind of love we should emulate—the love that is not conditional, that isn’t based on what we can gain from others.

As we celebrate the month of love, let’s not forget that God’s love is for the whole world. He loved everyone. Let us strive to spread the love He gives, shining His light to all people. This way, we redefine love—not as something dependent on what we can receive from others, but as something grounded in who we represent.

Stay revived!

The Fragments from Our Miracle.

While reading about Jesus feeding the five thousand, I pondered the relevance of this miracle in my life. I imagined the loaves and fragments, wondering how God could create a miracle from what I had.

 John 6:12 stood out: 

"When they had all had enough, He said to His disciples, Gather up now the fragments (the broken pieces that are left over), so that nothing may be lost and wasted".

Recently, I secured a job to meet my daily needs, a stepping stone I'd call "better than nothing." Yet, I found myself wondering, "How do I get to where I desire to be when I'm still nowhere?" I'd nursed dreams, but they seemed distant. Like the disciples, I thought, "How can I feed the crowd with just five barley loaves and two small fish?"

How do I achieve success when my current situation is blurry? 

How do I revive broken relationships or fit into a constantly changing world? But then I realized, the loaves were given to Jesus, the One who can multiply them until we're satisfied. Our "loaves" may differ, but we all have "crowds" to feed. By giving our limited resources to Jesus, we can trust Him to create a miracle.

We'll not only receive a miracle but also the fragments – the leftovers – will be a reminder of God's abundance. 

I am not where I desire to be, but I am trusting Jesus with my life; how about you?

Stay Revived!

By Guest writer.

The Miracle Is In His Presence.

 

"If I stick around the place of worship for long maybe someday my miracle might come", while reading the story of the crippled man who had sat by the pool for 38 years, the above lines dropped in my heart.

The Bible doesn't explicitly state whether the crippled man exercised faith, but his perseverance is undeniable. He consistently returned to the pool, believing that if he could just get in at the right time, he would be healed. His response to Jesus didn't indicate a strong show of faith, but rather a deep-seated conviction that getting into the pool was his only hope. He persisted for 38 years, never giving up.

Jesus asked him in the book of John

John 5:6 -7 (AMP)

When Jesus noticed him lying there [helpless], knowing that he had already been a long time in that condition, He said to him, Do you want to become well? [Are you really in earnest about getting well?]

7 The invalid answered, Sir, I have nobody when the water is moving to put me into the pool; but while I am trying to come [into it] myself, somebody else steps down ahead of me.

What strikes me about this story is the man's determination to stay by the pool, even when it seems like a futile effort. He didn't let his failures discourage him; instead, he adopted an "I'll try again next time" attitude. 

Just like this man, God wants us to build strength and capacity not to give in or give up. To stay in the place of his presence. The miracle might not have occurred, but staying in God's presence gives us a reassuring hope and strength that our miracle will occur. 

While expecting God to work my miracle, there are moments I just give up hope and just wonder if God could still work for my good, but you know cultivating a posture of his presence nudges me and reminds me of God's love and mercy. 

The testimony is not just his wholeness, but that he encountered Jesus while he waited, so just like this man even as we wait on the Lord for our miracle, may we encounter Jesus. 

As long as we keep staying in the presence of God our miracle is right there. 

Stay Revived!

By Guest Writer.

GOD WORKS IN MYSTERIOUS WAYS.

Recently, the blog host made a profound revelation about what it means for the Lord to work in mysterious ways. When I was younger, the song "God Works in Mysterious Ways" was a common anthem during our devotion periods at school, home, and church. I never really took the time to think deeply about the meaning of this phrase, but God worked in my mind through this song.

The mystery of God is that He often does things we don't expect, anticipate, or think of. He simply does His work, and there are moments when we're amazed and moments when we're lost in deep thought. Working in God's plan and understanding His works each season is wonderful. However, there are moments when we seek His face, ask Him questions, and consecrate ourselves, but He still doesn't give us a clear answer.

How do you feel in those moments? For me, those are the most difficult moments, and I often wonder if I'm not doing my part with God correctly. Do you experience similar anxiety and thoughts?

This reminds me of the story of David after Bathsheba gave birth to their child. David sought God's face, asking for the child's healing, but God didn't respond. God didn't need to reply to confirm His forgiveness or love for David. Although God had already given His verdict concerning the child, His mercy, love, and presence remained with David, even if David didn't feel it at that moment.

After waiting on God for 21 days, I wondered why He didn't give me a specific word. Did I fast correctly? Did I seek His face enough? Was it just a futile exercise? The next day, after my 21-day fast, God instructed me to go on a 3-day fast. My initial thought was to dismiss the idea, but God works in mysterious ways. I began to watch my life take shape during these days. 

The bigger picture, which we often desire to see, is something that only God can see. God wants to unveil us to the world and to ourselves. We might hear what He's doing in most moments, and we might not in other moments, but the promise remains: "And nothing shall by any means harm you" (Luke 10:19). 

God works all things together for our good (Romans 8:28).

Stay revived!

By Guest Writer.