adminI grew up in a Christian home, even though growing up in a Christian home at the time just felt like it was all vibes (I am sure a few people can relate) but I had always loved God (it seemed weird at the time because God was kinda portrayed as one king with plenty servants and always fighting the devil (lol). But I was just fascinated by the fact that He sent his son to die for us.) However, I didn’t meet God until I got to OSU (Ogun State University) I always say I had my Woman at the Well experience.
After my experience, one thing was my heart posture, to be taught by the Lord. And one encounter changed my life. The encounter was a conversation with the Lord about my earthly father, and it was in that conversation I believed I truly came into the understanding of sonship, knowing that God is my father literally and figuratively, and boy I was so proud to carry my father’s name. I take every opportunity to tell anyone who asked me for my name to let them know my name is Omolara God and it was such a great conversation starter. And that encounter brought me into a deeper connection with God as my Father and not just one king with plenty of servants and me being one of the servants.
I think having this connection and understanding at the very beginning of my meeting (relationship) with God changed everything for me. (Note there’s a difference between meeting God and knowing there is a God. A lot of us have an idea that there’s a God, but not so many of us have met him. I was like this until I met him, and this is why the story of the woman at the well, was a story of what it means to meet God. The Samaritan woman knew about a Messiah just as most of us know God, but one day by the well, she met the Messiah. This is a whole sermon maybe I will share someday some of the lessons.)
I approached him as my father, I valued his guidance and I just wanted to please him. (At this point I need to state that, I am very far from whatever you might be thinking as you read this, I am not perfect in my walk with God. I am a walk-in-progress, ohhhh I know I dey misbehave sometimes, I am a drama daughter (lol) I throw tantrums and I have coconut head. But it’s an everyday walk of dying to self and he understands because he’s a loving father)
As I read my Bible and have quiet time with him, I would desire some values I see in the scriptures an example was when I was reading about Abraham, one of the things about his lineage and family was the fact that they were very hospitable, and they hosted Angels. As a matter of fact, it wasn’t Abraham’s negotiation that saved Lot’s family, it was Lot’s hospitality that did. So, I told God, I would like to host Angels in my lifetime too. (But the challenge was, I didn’t like hosting I felt it was a lot of stress and I can be very lazy (lol) go and asked my mom and sister, growing up I was a very Lazy child, but meeting God changed my life, the Lara you see today, is a wonder (lol) But God helped me!!! If you ask people to describe me in 3 words, Hospitable will be one of those 3 words. I understood that if I am a seed of Abraham, I must be hospitable. This is how I have developed my values over the years.
Being in Uni at the time wasn’t very easy (at least so I thought) till adulting taught me otherwise (lol) that those days of receiving pocket money were legit good days.
And one of the ways God changes us is not actually by blessing us but teaching us… and one of the early gifts he gave me was teaching me what true wealth is and just making me understand that I don’t operate based on worlds definition.
(I honestly don’t know why he’s making me share all this, I just thought I will share the conversation and move on, but here we go so just bear with me (lol)
I honestly can’t remember what was happening, maybe the thoughts on my heart were money (lol) because pocket money doesn’t come in regularly and we are always afraid to call our guardian then for money (because you will hear “word” #ifyouknowyouknow ) or maybe He felt somewhere along the line in the future, money or possessions would become a thing that would be my master, but whatever his reasons were, I am very grateful he taught me that lesson at the time. Because the conversation came out of the blue… and it went like this.
H.S (Holy Spirit): When Jesus was physically here on earth, did you think he would be considered rich?
Me: I knew it was a tricky question so I wore my “Spiritual hat” (lol) and I responded, He owns everything, the heavens, and the earth, of course, he’s rich.
H.S: Leave that one, but will world people consider him rich
Me: well based on that, world people will not consider him rich.
H.S: Okay, but is there a need he had that was never met?
Me: Nah… Never
H.S: that’s the definition of True wealth not what the world considers as wealth. True wealth is having every of your need met.
That conversation served as my foundation for not only how I see wealth, but also the purpose of having wealth, and the giver of wealth.
I felt a leading to study the life of Christ here on earth not just as a savior that came to die for our sins, but as a child of God so I can learn from his lifestyle.
Here are a few things I realized as I looked at how he handled needs and provisions.
Even when he had the resources or knew how resources would come, He still always looked up to God; acknowledging him as the source of all provision.
Lesson: Nothing we’ve received that hasn’t come from God. Even when we think it’s our hard work, the air in our nostrils that gave us the ability to “work hard” came from God.
2) The resources he had was used to serve God’s people and move the kingdom’s agenda forward. Lesson: whatever we are giving is not only for ourselves but for others and kingdom advancement.
3) God is not one-dimensional in his ways… He can use any means to bless you.
Lesson: yours is to ask, how he plans to provide is not your concern you just obey.
4) God always supplies all our needs maybe not all our wants sha lol… (again he didn’t promise that he promised provision for our needs)
Lesson: Even though sometimes it looks like the way he supplied the need feels one kind, but hey there’s food on your table, a roof over your head, shoes on your feet, and cloth on your body they may not just be designers (lol)
5) In God’s agenda for Provision, People are the most valuable currency.
Lesson: Pay attention to the people God brings your way. Stop playing around with those connections, who would have thought that the provision to feed 5,000 people was in the hands of a small boy? What if Jesus hadn’t encouraged his disciples to always allow children to come around? I always say this, after the gift of salvation, the next best gift to us is the gift of people. And this currency is not only limited to provision but to literally every aspect of our lives. The Mr has a saying “the thing you are struggling and praying for, someone has it to give to you for free, you just need to pray to find those people. And when you find those people ensure they don’t become your god in the process.
Whew, I guess I will stop here for now. I hope this encourages you to commit to trusting God with YOU. If you’ve got any questions drop them in the comment section or send me an email. I am always happy to talk about my papa.
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