He's The Light House: God's Covenant Promise...

I had been struggling with an enormous project that I've been entrusted to accomplish at work. The daunting task of accomplishing the project and the vice fringe politics surrounding this undertaking has been very distracting and discouraging. I had joined the department a little over a year ago. Prior to joining the department I had fasted and prayed about it and I was very much at peace with the decision to take the job. God had taken away all my doubts through the messages I received from the Bible over the course of my fasting and praying, and just from seeing his favour by how he opened doors for me and gave me favor in the eyes of those who had to do something for my move to happen. I enjoyed the work at my new place. It was challenging and exciting.

Few months ago my department lost a key manager as a better opportunity had come by his way and the work politics made his decision easier for him. He left and the overall responsibility for this major project fell upon me. For not having a good command of the overall program mechanics, the stress of the demands and the poisonous atmosphere of the work politics, the fear of failure took over me. I had gotten so stressed out and the fear was so absolutely paralysing that I couldn't even bring myself to concentrate on worship and prayer when I sat by myself in the presence of my Lord. A two week vacation didn't help! There were times that I would find myself so helpless that I would get down on all fours on the ground with my face buried in my hands asking God to take it all away.

I'd been praying to God for four things: I asked him to give me wisdom, knowledge, and understanding; and for him to remove the fear that was paralysing me.

One night, I was praying past midnight, following which I sat down to read my Bible (quite often when I am in my prayer closet - my children's bedroom - hours go by like they were minutes during my lone time with God...this is where I find solace, refuge, peace, his counsel, in his presence). I had been reading the Book of Exodus and I had gotten up to chapter 34, but I didn't recall much of what I had been reading because of the state my mind had been in. When I got to Exodus 34:6 (NLT), the Spirit of the Lord bracketed out the following and got my attention...

He passed in front of Mosses and said, "I am the Lord, I am the Lord, the merciful and gracious God. I am slow to anger and rich in unfailing love and faithfulness."

After reading this, I didn't know why but I thumbed back through the pages of my Bible and went to Exodus chapter 31. I will write below in the same order in which the Spirit revealed the rest of His covenant promise to me.

Exodus 31:3-5 - I have filled him {Bezalel - God spoke to Moses about Bezalel who was to build the Tabernacle, the Ark of the Covenant and all other furnishings required for the Holy Place} with the Spirit of God, giving him great wisdom, intelligence, and skill in all kinds of crafts. He is able to create beautiful objects from gold, silver, and bronze. He is skilled in cutting and setting gemstones and in carving wood. Yes, he is a master at every craft.

I stopped and wondered out loud, "Lord are you talking to me...? are you talking to me...? are you promising to give me your Spirit who will give me wisdom, knowledge and understanding to accomplish this monumental task ahead of me...?

But, Lord I also need appropriate staffing, a support structure...

And I continued reading as the Holy Spirit kept bracketing out his promise,

Exodus 31:6 - ...Moreover, I have given special skill to all the naturally talented craftsmen {this God spake to Moses about Oholiab and all the craftsmen with him} so they can make all the things I have instructed you to make:

Again, I didn't know why, but I thumbed forward through the pages to chapter 34 and the Holy Spirit bracketed out,

Exodus 34:14 - ...for he is a God who is passionate about his relationship with you.

And then the Holy Spirit bracketed out what the Lord required of me...

Exodus 34: 10-11 - The Lord replied, "Alright. This is the covenant I am going to make with you. I will perform wonders that have never been done before anywhere in all the earth or in any nation. And all the people around you will see the power of the Lord - the awesome power I will display through you. YOUR RESPONSIBILITY is to obey all the (my) commands I am giving you...

I read the scriptures in the order that I wrote above and I was awestruck and amazed at His response to my prayers!

As I usually do, I wrote in the margins of these two chapters making references back and forth between the chapters and the thoughts God gave me. I recalled God's covenant promise to David through Nathan and how David prayed over the covenant promise for God to act upon. I did the same. I closed my bible and sat worshipping and praising him for how he had answered my prayer for wisdom, knowledge and understanding, his promise to see me through if I was obedient to his word, obedient to him.

A couple of days later I went back to read these scriptures again from the book of Exodus and I noticed that I had written down Isaiah in place of Exodus while making the references between the Exodus chapters 34 & 31. I was about to cross it out and write Exodus, when my curiosity prompted me to go into the book of Isaiah to read the sections...Isaiah 31:3, 5, 6 and Isaiah 34:10-11. Let me write below what it says and let you make your conclusions...He is amazing!

Isaiah 31:3, 5, 6 - 3) For these Egyptians are mere humans, not God! Their horses are puny flesh, not mighty spirits! When the Lord clenches his fist against them, they will stumble and fall among those they are trying to help. They will all fall down and die together. 5-6) The Lord Almighty will hover over Jerusalem as a bird hovers around its nest. He will defend and save the city; he will pass over it and rescue it. Therefore, my people, though you are such wicked rebels, come and return to the Lord. {He is asking that you seek him and walk with him. And He will protect you.}

Isaiah 34:10-11 - This judgment {God's judgement} on Edom {which had been persecuting the Israelites - your enemy who has been persecuting you} will never end; the smoke of its burning will rise forever. The land will lie deserted from generation to generation. No one will live there anymore. It will be haunted by the horned owl, the hawk, the screech owl, and the raven. For God will bring chaos and destruction to that land. {And vs. 12 says, It will be called the Land of Nothing, and its princes soon will all be gone.}

Why should you fear these Egyptians in your life? Why do you fear the Edomites in your life? This was his promise addressing the fourth part of my prayer request, my fear! When the Lord answers you, there are NO half answers, NO partial answers. He gives you a complete answer and when you hear it, it leaves no doubt in your mind that your Lord has spoken! Glory to God!

PS: I still find the day to day tasks daunting, but the fear not overpowering. Every day I see the Lord's grace at work in my life. When I stand still and think of what has happened in my life each day, I have no doubt that I did not accomplish them on my own. He is walking with me! His Spirit goes ahead of me!