PSALMIST MAE

For most of the time, we heard this verse mentioned in every prayer meetings and vigils. We heard it recited by children on Sunday school and extension classes. This was the promise that we always remembered every time we would lift our prayers to the heavens that we had even memorized it. There had been many messages shared out of this scripture.

Yet, there is still one message that we may haven’t heard of yet.

If we look back at this Bible passage again, we may not realize what really had happened before God spoke these words to the prophet Jeremiah.

So, what happened?

Israel was filled with wickedness and it displeased God so much that he would give the city up to its enemy, Babylon. (Jeremiah 32:3) The prophet Jeremiah was sent by God to prophesy His disciplinary judgment to Israel’s wickedness. The king got mad instead and put the prophet to prison. Then came the day and he realized that the prophet’s words were true. Bothered by his conscience maybe, the king transferred Jeremiah to a better place in prison called the court of prison (Jeremiah 33:1). Here, the prophet heard God’s promise of an answered prayer, “Call unto me, and I will answer thee…”

An abundant life is a reward given by God to those who abide in the Lord Jesus.

“I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” (John 15:15)

A fruitful living with the Lord, however, can only start if we have built a personal relationship with Him. We have to become children of God first. How? The Scripture says,

“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:” (John 1:12)

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:” (Ephesians 2:8)

Grace had been shown already by Jesus through his death on the cross for our sins. When you believe that Jesus is Christ (Messiah, Savior), when you accept Him and be the Lord of your life, then, that is faith. We became His children through faith. It is only then that the Lord will intervene into our life and make it fruitful as we walk daily with Him.

 Dr. Bruce H. Wilkinson, an author of several bestselling spiritual books, founder and president of Walk through the Bible Ministries, is providing another fine Biblical teaching on Abundance – The Secrets of the Vine.

I, personally, am inspired and encouraged by the lessons of the book. I was once wondering if I had bore fruits since I became a Christian. For many times, I felt discouraged, thinking I was a failure but then I was enlightened and reminded. God is still working and His plan for me is an abundant life. We just have to learn a few steps on how to get there through His guidance. Know the secrets of the vine.

It was one idle afternoon when I began to notice a dusty old journal on the shelf. I decided to take a look and realized it was my journal a year ago. Written on its first page was this,

“Journey with God – No matter how smooth or how rough this day, God is with you each step of the way.”

I began to scan and saw how bad my penmanship was, hehe! While reading the first ten pages, I noticed I was writing about someone whose name I didn’t mention for fear that somebody else would find my notes and read it. Unfortunately, now I forgot who I’ve been writing about, haha! I smiled and laughed at my own story.

One thing I like about personal journals is the way I can look at myself in the past, the reflection it gives me when I read it at present, and the lessons it teaches me for the future. I wrote my journal for the purpose of knowing myself better and keeping track of my own maturity, especially on the spiritual aspect. Have I improved? Have I succeeded? Have I done what I ought to do? Have I followed what was called for me to do?

I preferably call it “my prayer journal” because it entirely contained my prayers each day. Pages are full of letters addressed to God. I have one journal for each year and for each year, I noticed, I had one kind of person that I was. It tells me how I have been the previous years.

I smiled while reading carefully from the pages of my 2014 journal.  Flashbacks came in and I realized how deep and sincere I was while writing on those pages. I was longing, asking and waiting, but at the end, the answer was “No”.  How disappointed had I been, but, looking back at it now, I am glad God didn’t say “Yes”.

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” Jeremiah 29:11

Sometimes, my prayer might not have been inclined to God’s will. However, I still believe that God was listening. That moment when I just poured out all of my heart’s content, I may not have received the answer I was expecting. It was enough though to make myself feel relieved and then contented. Seeing how I have committed everything to God, relying on His mighty hand and clinging on His promises, I feel thankful to God by all the grace He gave. It was by my Lord Jesus’ example that I learned to always say, “Not my will but Thine...”