“LORD, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds O Lord. Renew them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath, remember mercy” Habakkuk 3:2

Brothers and Sisters,

When we see the wonders God performed through some bible characters, especially the blessing that they experienced after series of trials, deep inside ourselves, we desire not just to witness it, but we literally wished we were those characters.

Time would fail me if I were to mention all those characters. Look at Job for example! He lost everything within a very short time, was stricken by a very rare disease, and became the laughingstock of many. The severity of Satanic attack on him was such that it shook his wife’s loyalty to him and to God. What about Joseph! He was sold into slavery by his own brothers who presented him to their father as killed by a wild animal. He, the most loved of his father, had to work in servile conditions abroad. He was tempted as we often are today by an influential woman, but he purposed not to sin against his God; he went to prison though he was innocent. While he could reasonably be grieved against God for all the issues facing him, he remained positive and cheerful, not flinching in his faith and was even of help to his co-prisoners. Then we have Ruth, who later was mentioned in the genealogy of the Savior! Her life was not a peaceful sea. Like a light object, the waves of life tossed her in all directions and her life bore the scars of what she went through. But she stood firm for God, accepting to bend in all loyalty at the mercy of adverse situations but resolutely refusing to compromise.

Reading the stories of those people stirs up hope in us that no matter how bad a situation could be, so long as we remain faithful to God, our current condition won’t be our conclusion. Just as they are references for us today, the Almighty God is looking today for people like them. Hence, he allows us to go through certain trials, temptations, challenges and difficulties. Although our cases will not be recorded in the Bible, God still wants to perform miracles in our lives which he can use as reference to other people in this era and years to come. Brethren, if tested by God, may He elect you as a reference for other Christians. Amen!