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REFLECTION

“God has” is the theme for our reflection. Has is a verb that indicates or shows a personal attribute or quality by one’s actions or attitude. God has the nature or attribute of intervening and delivering those with whom He has a covenant relationship and those who call upon Him for their salvation. We shall examine what God has done in terms of His intervention and redemption of His people.

Beloved in the Lord, Isaiah’s message represents thanksgiving and praise to God for what He has done in the lives of His people in the past and to reassure them to put their hope in God, especially at a time when King Ahaz of Judah looked up to the King of Assyria for help instead of trusting God. ( Isaiah 7:1-17; 8:4-8,2 Kings 16:1-20, 2 Kings 15:29). God has been intervening in their suffering and delivering them. What exactly has He been doing? He has given light or salvation to His people who had hitherto been in the darkness of sin and fear (Isaiah 9:2), He has given overwhelming joy to His people by restoring their lost fortunes(Isaiah 9:3), He has liberated His people from oppression and given them victory over their enemies in the past(Isaiah 9:4-5). God has always given or shown a sign of His intervention and deliverance in the affair of His people as a form of assurance of His love and presence among His people. In King Ahaz’s time, Isaiah made Him understand that his child Hezekiah will be born and through him, God will restore the nation. (2 Kings 18:1-10). It is for this reason, Isaiah said that “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. (Isaiah 9:6) Apart from the existential significance of Isaiah’s prophecy, Isaiah also assures the nation that God has plans of delivering the nation through the sign of childbirth in the future. This child shares the same divine attributes or nature with God, therefore, “he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. ⁷ Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this. (Isaiah 9:6-7). We see the manifestation of God’s promise in Jesus Christ who was born by the virgin Mary. He came to fulfil God’s promise of salvation to the world including the Israelites and He is yet to come again in His glory and for our total redemption.

Dear friend, we are being invited today, to put our faith in God for our salvation. Unlike King Ahaz let us not put our trust in mere mortals or in our fellow human beings but to put our trust in God because He has the power to intervene in our precarious situations and troubles and to completely deliver us. In Jeremiah 29:11-12, He has promised us that “For I know the plans I have for you,” … “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ¹² Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.” God has assured again that “call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.” (Psalms 50:15), for “A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. ⁸ You will only look with your eyes and see the recompense of the wicked. (Psalms 91:7-8) Again, Paul greatly reminds us that “God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. (1 Corinthians 1:9) Pricilla J Owens also greatly assures us that God has plans for our deliverance when she wrote the hymn “We Have An Anchor”
Will your anchor hold in the storms of life,
when the clouds unfold their wings of strife?
When the strong tides lift, and the cables strain,
will your anchor drift, or firm remain?
Refrain:
We have an anchor that keeps the soul
steadfast and sure while the billows roll;
fastened to the Rock which cannot move,
grounded firm and deep in the Saviour’s love!

In summary, we have focused on the theme “God has” In our reflection, we have come to the overwhelming conclusion that God has the attribute or the nature of intervening in the affairs of those He has covenant relationships with, granting them total deliverance. Shalom.

PRAYER
1. Let us thank God and give Him all the glory for all that He has done and continues to do in our lives.
2. Let us pray for the Holy Spirit to strengthen our faith in God even in times of trouble.
3. Let us pray and completely surrender all our challenges to God and allow Him to take full control over our lives because we have no power of our own.
4. Let us pray for all candidates writing the BECE exams this week.

Almighty God, may your glory never depart from our lives. Amen.