Message
This week, I was challenged by this man Onesiphorus. He was a lover of hospitality and he lived it out! He was so committed to serving Paul, the minister of God. As a result Paul pronounced a blessing over him and his household! His ministry to Paul taught me that God will always provide for His ministers to continue to serve Him. I am challenged and pray to be an instrument through which God can use to serve the ministers of the body of Christ as well as her members. I was also reminded of the Shunammite Woman in 2 Kings 4:8-11
"8 And it fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem, where was a great woman; and she constrained him to eat bread. And so it was, that as oft as he passed by, he turned in thither to eat bread.
9 And she said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is an holy man of God, which passeth by us continually.
10 Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick: and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither.
11 And it fell on a day, that he came thither, and he turned into the chamber, and lay there."
This woman was discerning and gracious! She knew that the man of God needed to be served with a place of rest and physical refreshment as he went about doing the will of God and she was willing to do so! She made herself available to God as a vessel to be used by Him. She was also given to hospitality.
Hospitality is our willingness to serve and offer our resources to meet the needs of others. Hospitality is a biblical virtue and when effectively applied, can serve as a great entry point into the kingdom of God for many. Hospitality can be achieved in different ways such as offering a smile, or food, and even opening up our homes for the oppressed, weary and afflicted. Hospitality is a ministry within the ministry of Christ that each of us can partake in by utilizing our gifts, talents and time.
Modesty: these days when I have to dress up, I am suddenly reminded that I need to wear breastfeeding friendly clothing! For me, this means no dresses! I have found that tops and skirts work best for me at this time. It's easier to nurse my son on demand. It was the same case with my daughter. I make sure that I apply a nursing cover when breastfeeding as well for proper modesty. I don't think that it is appropriate for a woman to expose her breasts while breastfeeding - that is still a sacred part of her body that God expects to be covered.
Marriage: Many women desire a godly spouse and family. However, many are ignorant of the fact that a godly spouse and family are produced through prayer! It is not enough to merely desire it, you must work for it through persistent prayer. The fact is that Satan’s hatred for marriage and Christian homes has not quenched. He daily seeks to destroy marriages and homes and to lead the singles desiring a godly home astray!
My encouragement to you single ladies and gentlemen, is to add action to your desire. Ensure that your relationship with God is current and pursue a glorious marital future through consistent, passionate and scripture inspired prayers! Make it a point to pray the Word of God! What has God said about a godly marriage in His Word? Seek and study the Word and make the Word your prayer points. Develop your prayer life now, because it will be your greatest weapon even after the wedding when you face the real marriage. The power of a praying wife and husband cannot be over emphasized.
Motherhood: one of the recent discoveries with having a toddler and a newborn is that safety is of the essence. Our daughter loves her brother so much! She gives him kisses all day long. When she wakes up in the morning, he's the first person she looks for and if she doesn't find him where he should be, she literally starts crying and looking for him. At the same time, she doesn't fully understand that there are certain things that he is not able to do as a baby like eating chicken! She once tried to feed him her chicken lol. That's really sweet and kind of her but again, she simply doesn't understand.
She likes to throw her toys and all kinds of things in his bassinet while he is in it which has led me to apply a net over the bassinet for safety. We have been teaching her and communicating with her not to do things that compromise safety - she's gradually gaining understanding.
We're trying to encourage and monitor for safety while not discouraging her from playing with her brother. We pray for the Lord's wisdom to strike the balance. I sincerely look forward to when he is old enough for them to play together. Until then, I will enjoy this newborn stage as it is going by too fast already! :).
I hope that you're inspired by the 4 M's this week!
\\
Let's connect on socials:
Instagram: @mrs_charity_umar
Facebook: @Charity Boadi (Mrs Charity Umar)
*DISCLAIMER: Some links may be affiliate. I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.
With love,
Mrs. Charity Umar ❤️
Comments
Post a Comment