Habakkuk 3: 17-18 ‘Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation’!

• DAILY READING – 1 Thessalonians 2:1-16; Isaiah 14-16; Psalm 113

English Gardner is an American track and field star, who specializes in the 100-meter dash race.  After undergoing knee surgery in 2008, Gardner was told by doctors that she could never run again. Due to the severity of her condition, many people truly thought her athletic career was over. As a result many colleges that had previously offered her scholarships with the hope that she would run for them, withdrew their scholarship offers, except for the University of Oregon. Though it seemed the end of the road, Gardner who is a fervent Christian, knew that somehow the grace and mercy of God would prevail. She never gave up and continued to do all she could to recover. And eventually, miraculously, her heath was fully restored, and she began to enter into races again.

In 2016, she qualified for the Olympic games in Rio de Janeiro.  On the day of the Olympic trials, Gardner ran with a plan to praise God. For her to be back on her feet running again, was indeed a great miracle. And God surprised her further by causing her to win the race in an amazing record time. She set a record of 10.74 seconds which ranked her in the top ten all-time runners of the 100-meter race. As soon as Gardner crossed the finish line, she went down on her knees, praising Jesus and thanking him for her victory. On the online video of her record-breaking run, which has been viewed by millions around the world, she was seen crying out. “Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus. Oh God I praise you. I give you so much glory”.

Gardner shed tears of joy after her record-shattering run which her doctors never imagined she could do after her injury. Later in a media interview, she said that not many people knew the cost of the oil of her praise. She said she gained the inspiration to beat the odds after reading the biblical accounts of David and Goliath, Noah and Daniel in the lion’s den. And through this Biblical inspiration, she not only recorded one of the fastest times for an American female athlete, but became the fourth-fastest American in history and the seventh fastest sprinter in the world.

Habakkuk 3: 17-18 says ‘Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation’.

Indeed God remains faithful in every situation. And when we choose to bless Him even in times of discouragement, He shows Himself mighty on our behalf. Not many people have experienced what David felt when he and his men returned to their home in Ziklag to discover their property destroyed and their wives taken by the Amalekites. To worsen matters, his men spoke of stoning him. Yet, in the midst of all these, David chose to praise God.

1 Sam 30:6 says David “encouraged himself in the Lord his God”. And because he decided to trust God even in the midst of despair, God gave him victory and full restoration of all he lost. David was able to pursue, overtake and recover all.

In our journey through life, sometimes we can be confronted by adverse situations. Despite the pain, when we lift our hands in praise and worship, we are breaking spiritual alabaster boxes of oil at the feet of Jesus. The sweet fragrance of our sacrifice of praise creates the conducive atmosphere for God to do the miraculous. The truth is that if you complain, you will remain, but when you praise, you will be raised. Therefore in every situation, let us choose to bless God. He is in perfect control, He is seated upon the throne of  His glory, holding the scepter of His dominion in our favor.. Situations may vary but God never changes, He remains the constant. Nothing moves Him or takes Him by surprise. And when we chose to bless Him at all times, He will indeed arise in His  might and power to cause a forceful turnaround of every contrary situation for us.

PRAYER: Father I choose to bless You at all times. I choose to set the tone to receive Your favor, grace and mercy. I thank You for being in complete control of my life and exceeding my expectations in Jesus Name.

QUOTE

Praise always guarantees you power for a raise, learning to praise God in season and out of season is key to fulfilling destiny. – WORDBITE 222