WEDNESDAY - 12TH JULY, 2023
MORNING WINGS DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE - Olusola ADEJUMO
PUT UNDER COMMAND - The Commanded Series 007
I Kings 17:8-9, KJV
"8 And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying 9 Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee".
Kai! God has vessels for use everywhere. He one time told Paul that He has a lot of people in this city.
Acts 18:10, KJV
"For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city"
Even if we don't know whether God has much people in Zarephath, we can bear witness that there's a vessel who God can send to and put under command for the sake of Elijah - a son.
God's Word by which we should live came to Elijah instructing him to get himself to Zarephath (it was for an intent and that it might be fulfilled that Elijah didn't go hungry) and that He has commanded a widow woman to feed him there. You see, we don't have a black and white record or report of God visiting this woman and instructing her about Elijah but from what God expressed here, we should know God actually visited that widow of Zarephath before Elijah ever knew about her from God, knew her in person or even arrived in her place. God's Word reads, "for I have commanded a widow woman to feed you there".
Do you know what it means to "command" or "put under command"? It actually means to put under oath. When you're commanded, it becomes inevitably your responsibility to discharge. It means there's a word that has gone over your head; a word that is binding on you and which God will like you to live up to. God says, "I have commanded a widow woman to feed you there". It means irrespective of how it goes, Elijah of a surety must be fed. A yoke is on that woman. God therefore puts this widow woman under obligation. It may not be convenient but she is open to it and will obey it. Note, it wasn't Elijah who went to tell himself to this woman. God did. Only that when Elijah arrives and propose what God had earlier notified this woman, she affirms it by opening to it and judging there's a space for him even in her stringency. Let God first tell you He has commanded men for your sake. Stop speaking to uncommanded men. Don't place a request on those God has not commanded for you. Let that be how you live your life. They're simply not worthy if God has not called them for you. Those who are will be those God qualifies for you. They won't treat you less than they'll treat God - in honour and reference (knowing God is their Father and Lord). Whenever it's God who tells them you'll be coming and God thus becomes their fear, they'll relate well with you. They don't want to disappoint God. As for you or I or any human, we don't worth much before others except for God with us.
I have an incident to explain what it means to "have commanded someone for another fellow's sake or put under command or obligation".
Genesis 24:2, KJV
"2 And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh: 9 And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and sware to him concerning that matter".
This servant of Abraham comes under that oath that instant he takes it. He becomes the commanded that moment he places his hand under Abraham's thigh to swear. It means if he has his own will to do before, taking that oath has eliminated doing as he wills now. You become the commanded the moment God speaks to you and you consent. You come under a sort of oath having signed an accord or having given your consent to God. That woman actually consented to God. If there were no agreement between herself and God, Elijah would never have been welcomed. Once you're commanded, you're put under oath and a sort of demand to have something fulfilled. This is who this woman becomes because of Elijah. A woman who has a commanded tag or label on her just for the sake of one man - one man like that who must not go hungry. I don't know if you've travelled out before. If you've been out and you're particularly a honourable fellow, you'll have a pick up driver waiting for you with a display of your name. Imagine arriving somewhere and you being awaited to be taken to the next place. You see, such pick up driver is there for your sake. He's carrying a label because he's under command for your sake. How important Christians are to God. He cares for His own family and He could travail the ends of the earth to meet their needs. He puts things on ground for them. Should Elijah get to Zarephath to begin to appeal his way into the heart of that widow? No! He'll just reduce and useless God. God didn't intend that we ministers beg and go around trying to find what to eat especially if you're in the full time. He'll rather command and compel men for your sake. I prefer that than saying, "help me, please, help me". The world will laugh at you, you will see. How obedient His children should also be in being prompt to come under command and give to the sent anything that God has instructed them to give in a no less or more manner. Father, I pray for these ones that you'll put them under command for men and men under command for them. Whenever it is dark and it's famine, may you always find an abode and escape for them. May we not stray to any who God has not put under oath for our treatments. May we not walk by sight and say it's one Eliab that the Lord has chosen for Himself (and consequently for us) when our help which comes from the Lord is hidden in a widow woman. A widow woman who's needy herself with the testimony of a little oil and a little meal but one who the Lord has spoken to and shall enlarge for our sake. Yes, for your sake, the Lord will bless the obedient! You just don't collect, your arrival brings returns also. God made it so.
PRAYER: Lord, put me under command for men and vice versa. I obey!
BIBLE IN A YEAR: 1 Chronicles 9:1-10:14; Acts 27:21-44; Psalm 8:1-9; Proverbs 18:23-24
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