Isaiah 25:4 ‘For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.’
DAILY READING; John 8:21-47; 2 Chronicles 2:17-5:1; Malachi 1:1-2:9
Former supermodel, Niki Taylor, was one of the most famous names and faces of the 1990s. She began working as a model at only 13 years of age and by age 16, she had become a millionaire.
At the height of her career in 1991, Niki became the youngest model to sign a major contract with CoverGirl.
She led campaigns for fashion companies such as Versace, L’Oreal, Gap, Covergirl, and Pantene.
Outwardly Niki appeared to have it all.
However, everything suddenly changed one day in May 2001.
On that eventful day, Niki was riding as a passenger in a car when there was a drastic accident.
Though she survived, she lost nearly 80 percent of her blood. The accident left her fighting for her life — with just a 1 in 10 chance of survival.
She had to stay in the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit for months. She went through 56 operations to repair a collapsed lung, serious liver damage, head trauma, and severe spinal damage. However, throughout her ordeal, her family stood by her and constantly kept praying for her.
After many months of battle, she finally recovered fully and was discharged from the hospital.
The accident brought Niki Taylor closer to God and made her commit her life to Christ. It also made her to re-assess her priorities and to become more appreciative of Life’s simple blessings.
In her first TV interview after the accident, Niki told ABCNEWS; “I’m just so thankful right now … that I have legs. And that I have arms, and that God gave me another day to wake up.,”
Although, Niki Taylor had seemed to have it all, yet she almost lost it all in a single mishap.
Indeed life on earth can be so unpredictable and precarious that it takes the grace of God to make it from one moment to the other.
It doesn’t matter how much a man may amass, all can be lost in a twinkling of an eye. This is why we daily need to depend on the grace of God.
As we run the race of life, we can never outgrow our need for grace.
As believers, Redemption has purchased for us extravagant grace. This has made a huge difference in our story.
Despite the many battles we have faced, God has continued to be our sun and our shield.
Indeed God has been our refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall. [Isaiah 25:4]
Truly, if it had not been for the Lord on our side, where would we be? It is only because of His mercies that we have not been consumed.
Do you know how many people went through what you went through and didn’t come out of it alive? Yet you survived through God’s grace.
We are indeed products of God’s unfailing goodness and faithfulness.
For this reason,
God deserves our every praise.
Even if you have lost anything, understand that God is the reason why you have not lost everything. Even if your life is not yet what you desire it to be, it is only because of God that you are still alive and you still have hope for the future.
God is indeed faithful.
Let us therefore continually appreciate Him for His many blessings.To take God for granted is to be grounded, life is a privilege, not a right.
Today, as we thank Him for His finger in our lives, He will certainly reveal His arm to us. As we keep praising God, He will keep raising us.
Indeed as long as we keep expressing gratitude we will not stop gaining altitude in life.
PRAYER: Father, I am grateful for Your grace and mercy that has brought me thus far. Indeed it is because of Your faithfulness that I am still alive today. I do not take Your goodness for granted. I am truly grateful Lord and I bless Your Holy Name now and for evermore in Jesus Name.
Quote
There is something that God has placed within you that the world is eagerly awaiting to see. WORDBITE 222