Stay on Course!

A great number of  people have lived great admirable lives. But those who have made great impact are those who have stayed on course.
The underlying basis of a good life are not always visible from a distance.
Firstly, Susannah Wesley, the mother of John and Charles Wesley, had 19 children. Nine died as infants, only 8 were alive at her death.
1) she home-schooled all her children.
2) her sons, John and Charles, started the Methodist Church, which was no child’s play.
3) she never preached a sermon, never wrote a book, never founded a church;
but the impact of her purpose and course are visible to all.
Deborah, the wife of Lapidoth, what were the names of her children?
Who knows?
For her, it was not about the children, it was about the nation of Israel, and God’s programme for it! (Judges 4).
Now, who was the mother of Virgin Mary?
For Mary to have kept herself was not the normal thing in their days. That was why there was a law in place to tackle such “lone” pregnancies: execution by stoning.
(Worthy of note that the city of Sodom was wiped out for the sin of sodomy i.e. Homosexuality).
The Mother of Mary is today known as St Anne. I think we should respect her for raising her Mary in such a way that God could choose her. After all, David was not God’s first choice.
Jezebel was the wife of King Ahab (1 Kings 16). She was the only fear that Fiery Prophet Elijah had. Two of her sons became kings in Israel, both of them did evil in the sight of the Lord.
Her daughter Athaliah became Queen, in Judah. She killed “all” the princes after her husband died, so that she could be the ruler of Judah. And she did rule for 2 years.
In Revelations, Jesus remembered her again, and called someone Jezebel!
As wives, how did they fair?
Susannah Wesley held her home for God before, during and after the period of about one year when her Reverend husband left the home over a little disagreement.
Once a locum pastor was causing a cut down in church attendance due to poor leadeship. She started afternoon sevice for her children alone. And before she knew it, people stopped coming for morning services and started attending her family service in the afternoon!
Deborah, the wife of Lapidoth; the only reason we got to know there was ever a man named Lapidoth!
Jezebel, our control experiment.
She was the undoing of her husband. She killed Naboth so that Ahab coukd have his vineyard. It was said of her husband that he was sold out to do evil, BECAUSE he was married to Jezebel! She lived the life!
What about these 4 women?
1. Each one lived her life.
2. God had a plan for each one.
3. Satan also had a plan for each one. (Rev 12:17)
4. Each one simply chose one higher power to cooperate with,
…and the results are with us today!
In Summary
1. God has a reason for each soul!
2. That reason can only be found in God.
3. There are battles to fight.
Jude says to contend for the faith; Paul writes, Fight! And then he writes again, I have fought!
Charaterisrics of fights: tiring, could be injurious, could be fatal, could be lost!
But there is hope for a tree, even if it is cut down i.e. Losing a battle is not the end, we should return as soon as possible.
4. These good women served God, expecting nothing in return. Not a house, not a car, not a bank account. They were only living everyday, doing their little bits!
More grace, more power to us.
Amen.