God created man to be in total dependency on him and not on ourselves. Depending on God means that we look to Him for the things we need in life and we trust Him to direct our lives.

If we were created to depend on ourselves, then there is no need for a supreme being. God’s creation was created to “look up to him” for support and strength and that is the beauty of His creation

“This is what the Lord says: “Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans, who rely on human strength and turn their hearts away from the Lord. They are like stunted shrubs in the desert, with no hope for the future. They will live in the barren wilderness, in an uninhabited salty land.

“But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit.”
‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭17‬:‭5‬-‭8‬ ‭NLT‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

Trust in God is another way of declaring that our faith and confidence are in God and not in people, circumstances, or in material things.

“All creatures depend on you to give them their food when they need it. When you give it to them, they eat it. When you open your hand, they are satisfied with good things. When you turn your face away from them, they are terrified. When you take away their breath, they die and turn back into dust.”
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭104‬:‭27‬-‭29‬ ‭NIRV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

There is an interesting story in the Bible of King Asa, king of Judah that reflects how we as humans relate with God daily. In a minute we are loyal to God and the next minute, our focus and attention shift from Him to something else.
“For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth so that He may support those whose heart is completely His…’’
‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭16‬:‭9‬ AMP‬‬‬‬

“It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God.”
‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭3‬:‭5‬ ‭NLT‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

King Asa went into battle with the Ethiopians and won because he trusted in the ability and power of God to help him.
“Then Asa called out to the Lord his God. He said, “Lord, there isn’t anyone like you. You help the weak against the strong. Lord our God, help us. We trust in you. In your name, we have come out to fight against this huge army. Lord, you are our God. Don’t let mere human beings win the battle over you.” The Lord struck down the men of Cush for Asa and Judah. The Cushites ran away.”
‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭14‬:‭11‬-‭12‬ ‭NIRV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

He won the first battle by simply depending on God but the second time he had to engage in a battle; he made the wrong choice by trusting and depending on his ally.

In 2 Chronicles 16 vs 1-3, Asa king of Judah was faced with a war threat from the king of Israel. He decided to take a smart move (smartness in his eye) and paid King Ben- Hadassah (Syria) to attack Israel. The anger of the Lord was provoked against him and he failed in the battle.

When we are faced with the heat of the fire, we often forget how the Lord helped to fight previous battles. We trust in our strengths and abilities.

“Don’t put your confidence in powerful people; there is no help for you there. When they breathe their last, they return to the earth, and all their plans die with them.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭146‬:‭3‬-‭4‬ ‭NLT‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

“At that time Hanani the seer came to King Asa and told him, “Because you have put your trust in the king of Aram instead of in the Lord your God, you missed your chance to destroy the army of the king of Aram. Don’t you remember what happened to the Ethiopians and Libyans and their vast army, with all of their chariots and charioteers? At that time you relied on the Lord, and he handed them over to you.”
‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭16‬:‭7‬-‭8‬ ‭NLT‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

God loves people that are fully loyal to Him and who depend on Him.
Friends, partial commitment is no commitment at all! Are you in or out?

Remember, you cannot be one leg in and one leg out. Are you or you are out in your walk with God? Can you solely trust in his ability or strength? Remember, when it comes to God, you cannot partially follow Him, you can’t be neither cold nor warm. you cannot be one leg in and one leg out. Never put your truth in man but depend on Him for your provision.

“The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. What a fool you have been! From now on you will be at war.”
‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭16‬:‭9‬ ‭NLT‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

Never put your trust in your wealth, in your physician, or your medication. Never put your trust in any human being but humbly let your heart in the Lord for all provision. This is the way to liftings and great blessings; Let Jehovah be your priority in life. Let Adonai be your first point of contact and your go-to person.
Stay connected to God!

A nursing mother is never at rest when her toddler is quiet and out of sight, she frantically monitors him or her.

In the same way, we must monitor and gauge our confidence in God, especially in times like this. The current pressure on the economy will quietly try to erode our confidence in the name of God.

If there is one virtue God’s economy has a plan to reward with good incentives, it is your confidence. God’s word says our confidence in God will be rewarded.

Protect it like you would protect your mtn shares right now. Because the Lord says he will reward your confidence in Him.

The despair in the land is plenty and it is beginning to make people talk ‘in the wrong.’

Does God want us to sometimes feel the pain and discomfort of the world? Yes! But never forget your economy is not of this world. We will feel the pain to respond in being a source of blessing to others but we shall not fear their fear and put their confessions on our lips, no! We shall not.

We will talk about our confidence. How our hope is in the name of the Lord.
We shall confess…

I will be well catered for like a lush garden. A well-watered place, a spring of joy will well out and I will not be confounded.
My mind is opened to great ideas that will increase my wealth and I have God’s branded kind of victory in all I do. As I go out daily, I will experience fishes with coins in their mouth for me, and my eyes are opened to the wells by my side.

Hebrews 10:35-39
New King James Version
35 Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. 36 For you need endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise:

God will reward your confidence in Him. Keep your confidence, payday is around the corner.

Guest writer.

Omoregie Blessing Orowhe

David looked into her eyes, he knew her problem so he nodded knowingly.

Michal didn’t know a thing about grace.
She didn’t know what it means to sleep,
Wake,
eat,
And live among sheep in the company of a good friend,

God.

She never knew what it took David to watch his older brothers choose a sumptuous life while he lingered and languished in the dry wilderness.

Knowledge was her problem, good knowledge of what God has done in the past will always spur worship. David understood this well enough.

“You may never have faced rejection, I have.
You may never have faced a lion, I have.
You may never have faced a bear, I have.
You may never have faced a Goliath, but I have.
you may never have faced a spear, I have.
Only one person helped me,

God.” He thought to himself

Michael’s face revealed a grown, she shook her waist with her palm pitched on one side of her waist that raised her elbow worried at David’s silence.

“Now she hates to see me dance before the same GOD,
She wants me gallant as the king,
She wants me royal like a king,
She wants me always be coordinated and probably authoritarian like every other king.
She might never have faced grace, I have and that has made all the difference”.

David seemed lost in his thought as he watched a beautiful queen who never understood grace.

Michal is disturbed by the king’s silence, her words had worked, she convinced herself.

“He will be sober and apologize now, I know my David” she mused.

King David looked at her beautiful visage and retorted firmly,

“I was dancing before the Lord, who chose me above your father and members of your family. He appointed me as the leader of Israel, the people of the Lord, so I celebrate before the Lord. Yes, I am willing to look even more foolish than this even to be humiliated in your own eyes. But those servant girls you mentioned will indeed think I am distinguished”

David quietly walked away from her towards the large foyer.

Michal widened her eyes, licked her lips a bit, and swallowed to lubricate her dry throat.

By this, David had told the story, of the only reason why kings must dance like this in public:

GRACE!

Postscript.

I hope you were blessed by this series. Please feel free to comment on how this has blessed you. Thanks for following through and have a great weekend.

He opened the big door like the small shepherd boy he had always been.

Small in God’s eyes, and small in his eyes.

He looked at the trimmings on the palace walls, designs, drapes, decorations, and ornaments of the palace, and shook his head in amazement.

He never begged to be king;

He didn’t deserve the grace God had bestowed on him. He remembered the day he was suddenly summoned home from the sheepfold. No one ever remembered him until his supplies are exhausted, and he showed up at the gate.

Just one day of his life changed everything, the day he was anointed to be king.

Nobody deserved grace.

He looked at the well-furnished door made from pure gold and timber. It reminded him of the good God who had chosen a mere shepherd boy to lead His twelve great tribes.

The same God he knew in the wilderness also lived with him in the palace.

He remembered the experiences in the wilderness, the lion and the bear.

Goliath and the uncircumcised Philistines, he felt like calling out his audience who had dispersed so they could watch him give another round of dance to the God of all grace, but he would save that up for another day. David concluded.

He placed his hand on the knob and turned right. The door opened.

Michal!

She stood behind the door. Her eyes revealed terror mixed with mischief.

He fired her an affectionate pout, he wanted to douse her feeling of missing him with a warm smile but she would not smile in return.

Michal always knew how to get him, sarcasm works best for her.

“How beautiful a sight it was today, the king of Israel dancing shamelessly before slaves and commoners” She spat some venom of sarcastic laughter, clapped her hands, and continued “How nice! King David”

David who at this time was quite familiar with her sarcasm, knew exactly what she meant. He had an intention to dance before God and that was genuine. He felt she was getting it all muddled up.

He never danced before slaves and commoners but the audience of one, God. There was a huge difference.

He braced up himself, he was determined not to cower this time. He needed to explain the difference to her and nail it down once and for all.

He knew this was not a subject to be lax or lenient about.

He was a shepherd boy and he is still one who had found grace before God.

This is his story and he is willing to tell her for the umpteenth time.

She might never have liked his shepherd-boy life or his fugitive lifestyle, but no one should deny him of his praise life.

He could choose to be quiet or ignore her, but not this time.

Words are seeds, once sown in the heart, they play out in ways we might never be able to trace their entry.

He will attack this one; he will with his words uproot this one before they become thoughts and later imaginations.

He looked intently at her.

(Loading next, David & Michal 5)

“Sorry my queen, please be kind with your steps,” Mania said.

The Queen was so much in a hurry that she almost stumbled on her way down the stair, impatience driving her every step.

Accompanying the queen were two servants.

When her feet touched the ground floor, she foraged about for King David, finally, she strode towards the huge foyer that led her to the main door,

“The other wives may not care but I care, your status! Your reputation!” She complained.

She thought she would clothe him with the words of anger from her lips. She would remind him of his reputation and make him feel remorseful.

“No king should dance in public, not from excitement nor a hangover, not for victory nor virtue, even God places a measure of honor on the reputation of His kings” Her body began to vibrate in anger as she navigated the last turn towards the door.

“Is he behind himself, or has he drunk some wine?” she thought to herself.

“Exposing parts of his body in a dance is an aberration I am duty-bound to correct. Not amongst the nobles or priests but in the presence of subjects who are seated, standing, and silent.

Slaves!

Slaves!!

Slave girls!!!”

King David, you will be the laughing stock in every family talk, in all the corners of the street, in all market gossip, in all tales told to toddlers, don’t you care?” she cried.

She finally reached the door.

(Loading next, David and Michal 4)

David was not sure how he should place his right foot.

All he wanted was for his feet to carry his body in a rigorous dance unto the God who deserved more than a dance.

His legs moved back and forth as his skirt struggled to follow the direction his legs dictated.

The neck spun right and left.

Shoulders jerked, hunched, shuddered, jolted.

Feet stomped on the dry Jerusalem ground and raised dust.

His dance was slow initially but gradually it became faster. No exact rhythm, the king seemed to love it so.

He understood that his consciousness of rhythm could be a hindrance to true worship so he threw caution to the wind.

The bystanders had tambourines in their hands and they hit them against their palms fascinated by the sight before them. “The king of Israel dancing on his Street in the full glare of his people

The windows, doors, and gates were soon flooded with families struggling to peek at the strangest sight in Israel.

The king danced vigorously by the palace gate.

King David flung his hands in every direction. The dance that started with his legs had welled him over.

The last thought that came to his mind was his revered position as the king. He understood that
“In the theatre of worship, there is only one audience, God.”

David never considered who the bystanders were, bound or free, commoners or lords.

He intended to dance in cycles until God’s presence encapsulated his environment.

His gaze was focused, his thought was aligned, and he could almost feel himself ascending as he danced, his feet had lost their grip on the earth, and he was still dancing.

That his skirt might reveal his thigh was something he was nonchalant about. His bringing satisfaction to the KING of all kings was his top priority.

As soon as the feeling of satisfaction hit him, he was done for the day. He gave gifts to the faithful men who had stood by him thus far and then retired to his household with blessings for them.

With excitement, he walked into the palace.

(Part 3 Loading next, David & Michal )

Blessings.

Michal lay lazily on her bed.

The decision to keep sleeping or stand up was slow to make, so, she kept dithering over what to do.

As soon as her eyes opened to her well-adorned chamber, she remembered what was foremost in her heart before the siesta stole her away.

Too frequent changes in the kingdom at the enthronement of the new king, David.

she sighed.

While drowsiness toyed with her brain, Michal stood up abruptly when she heard musical instruments blaring from a far distance. She embraced the drapes by the window, shoving them aside.

That window was the only place that allowed her to feed her eyes on the series of events that Jerusalem held for them.

She is inquisitive; no doubt, she had heard that from several persons in the past, especially her father. She seemed to easily lose concentration each time the cat of curiosity pounces on her.

‘Quite a sight’ she exclaimed.

With foggy eyes, she looked intently at the crowd of dancers and singers, approaching the king’s gate.

Today is not a celebration day, she convinced herself while wondering what occasion had necessitated the dancing spree. She squinted her eyes as though she had seen something strange

‘What nonsense,’ the words fell from her lips.

Something profound had caught her attention. A vigorous dancer and cheerleader in the crowd looked quite familiar, like her husband, her own David.

Mania, the chief servant clapped her hands thrice as she quietly entered the queen’s chamber. She intended to remind the queen of her weekly beautification process but the obvious anger on the queen’s face made Mania speechless, she became numb.

Michal immediately swiped her right hand across her face to clear out the fog that might have distorted her vision. She looked more intently at the crowd that gathered at the king’s gate ‘This is an aberration’ she muttered.

‘My Queen, your king is happy today’ Mania stylishly attempted to distract the Queen from the scene playing out before her.

‘Exactly my point, exactly Mania, kings don’t dance like that in public!” she screamed out to the servant who nodded in agreement.

Angst and frustration had her in their claws while infuriation and trepidation jeered at her. Infuriated by his demeaning act which she was not willing to stomach, She attempted to calm herself by securing a seat on her well-embellished bed.

‘I have to stop all this madness before it gets out of hand’ she queried.

Mania’s head began to spin, she thought of what she could say to assuage her Queen’s temper. Words had begun to form in her head but she dare not say them rashly. She must think of the best way of conveying them else doom might be inevitable. She had lived with her young boss well enough to know Michal is at the peak of her torrent. Mania tried to engage her mind in a constant search for the most polite words but they were elusive.

Michal directed a stern look at Mania “he is the king, not a servant. My father wouldn’t act so demeaning, never! Once a shepherd boy, always a shepherd boy. He needs to come to terms with the fact that this is the palace, not some wilderness.”

With this, she felt she was gaining a good grip on her emotion but her legs could not stay by the bed, they carried her back to the window-side where she stood a couple of seconds before.

She saw the king dancing more vigorously so that his skirt began to move up and down. She immediately looked at the crowd that thronged him.

“Arrant nonsense!” she exclaims.

Slaves and servants began to join the gawkers that returned with the king.

“He is shamelessly naked, and he is the king” She looked at the faces of the female servants to see their reaction and if their facial expressions could give her a clue to the thoughts that were in their servile hearts while they mopped at her husband.

The whole thought began to taunt her.

She knew her husband is handsome therefore she was convinced of the kind of thought that would be behind the facial expression of the female servants,

“lustful glares! Naked king! Slave girls! Slave or free, I know their reverie and lustful gaze.” This made her madder.

Before she knew it, she was galloping down the stairway to meet him, to put an end to his madness.

(Part 2 is loading tomorrow)

Blessings