Friday 21st December 2018 Prayer Devotion
Scripture Reading:- Proverbs 5:1-23
Topic:- Ability And Knowledge To Do Good
Text:- Hosea 4:6
Once upon a time in the animal kingdom, there was hunger in the land and the Lion is wont of killing other animals for food.
At a time, other animals were not happy with the Lion and they gathered and devised a means to put the Lion in a cage. The Lion stayed in the cage for weeks without food or drink.
One day, a certain young boy was passing through the area where the Lion was caged. The Lion pleaded with the boy to come to his rescue. The boy refused at first but after much persuasion from the Lion, the boy agreed to free him on one condition: that the Lion will not kill him. The Lion agreed and the boy opened the cage.
Immediately the Lion came out, he thanked the boy and pleaded with the boy to complete the good work he has started by presenting himself as food. The boy retorted, “Why do you want to repay a good thing with a bad thing?” The Lion responded, “In the present world, bad things are used to repay good things.”
After much debate, they later decided that they will ask three persons to confirm. If more people say that bad things are used to repay good things, the Lion will devour the boy but if more people say that good things are used to repay good things, the boy will be free.
The first person they met was Goat. And Goat said, “It is true that bad things are used to repay good things. I am a living example. My feces will be used as manure in the farm. When the crops are harvested and I go to taste what my feces have produced, human beings will pursue me.” The Lion turned to the boy and said, “1:0.”
From there they went to the dog and the dog said: Bad things are used to repay good things. I will go into the bush, kill an animal and when it is time for that animal to be eaten, they will just give me the bones. At night, others will be sleeping and I will be used as the sacrificial lamb for the thief’s bullet.”
The Lion turned to the boy and said, “One more chance.” The third and last animal they met was the tortoise.
When they posed the question to the tortoise, the tortoise told them, “Before I give you my response, I need to know how this argument started and we need to go to where it started.” So the trio went to where the argument started and the boy narrated the whole story.
The tortoise then asked the boy, “Where was the Lion the first time you met him?” “In the cage,” the boy responded. “Go back to the cage,” the tortoise said. When the Lion went back to the cage, the tortoise asked the boy, “Was the cage opened or locked?” The boy said that it was locked and the tortoise locked the cage.
Then, the tortoise said to the boy, “Let us go; there is nothing left to be said.”
Moral: Even at the last moment your story can change! As the year comes to a close, it is not too late to make a firm decision to do only that which is good and to keep our thoughts pure. When we do this we shall attain peace and we will be happy!
This holds true no matter the difficulties put on our way or if we have to contend with the bad habits and coarseness of others. We will bear peace within which will help us overcome all obstacles!
Prayer Points:-
1. Every power that has determined to waste my life, and that of my family before the year ended, and even in the new year, be wasted now by fire, in the name of Jesus Christ.
2. I refuse to die prematurely and untimely because I lacked knowledge, oh Lord God, endow me with Your knowledge, wisdom and understanding henceforth, in the name of Jesus Christ.
3. Oh Lord God, give me good heart to always be good to others, in the name of Jesus Christ.
Happy Weekend!
