03 AUGUST 2022
“These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble. John 16:1
Today, in the cool breeze of early August weather in the UK, I could not agree more with the Psalmist in Chapter 45 of the Bible that my heart is inditing a good matter and my tongue is the pen of a ready writer -to speak of the things which I have made touching the Holy Spirit and His works in the Bible. How He relates to us as the children of the Most High God and our Lord Jesus Christ who came to save us from sin to reconcile us to the Father by shedding His blood as an atonement for mankind.
True Message for Today:
My third girl was born on Sunday, 15th January 1995, on a cold winter day! As a young ‘career- minded’ working mother, I was desperate to get back to work and managed to spend only a couple of months with her breastfeeding! She was not keen on the breastfeeding and bottled milk due to her incessant sucking of two fingers! This encouraged me to speedily look for a baby-sitter/carer within the local community so I could go back to work! I also thought the decision to go back to work was right as at that tender few months, she spent most of the time sleeping!
Although at the time l had heard and knew the voice of the Holy Spirit, it did not occur to me that I needed to tell Him about my decision of going back to work and obtaining a good baby-sitter/carer for my baby. A close family member introduced a baby-sitter/carer in the community to me and off I went to meet with her! I checked the environment and enquired of the number of babies/children she was caring for and if she had any house-help during the day. It all sounded good. We agreed the terms and conditions verbally and I started to take my sweet baby the following week.
Commit to the Lord whatever you do (your activities/decisions) and He will establish your plans. Proverbs 16:3
Something strange started to happen! When I took my little girl the first day early in the morning, she was sleeping so she was not aware of the new environment the very first day I took her but from the following day, she was very alert and started crying when we got to the door and the carer opened the door, smiled and called her name! Her crying continued for the whole week and I thought because it was a new environment, she would adapt to the environment and ‘settle in with her new little friends’. As a parent, we need not underestimate what the Scripture says to include babies and children:
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7
My dear reader, babies’ cries are warning signals to parents because they are not able to express their dislikes by speech! After a while, she stopped crying and sat unaided, crawled and then the mishap took place in August 1995 (she was about 7 months old). After work, I went to pick her up and before I got to the baby-sitter’s door, I could hear her crying uncontrollably and as the woman opened the door there was my beautiful little baby’s face and forehead swollen with white cream applied on the swell! When my baby saw me, she made a sharp painful noise (mixture of agony and shock) that still echoes in my head to this day! My tears dropped on my baby but she had stopped crying which she knew was her last day at her unfriendly environment!
The baby-sitter/carer placed my 7 months old baby on a high open bed during her sleep in another room and when she awoke, she tried to crawl out of the bed and fell with her forehead hitting the floor!
I could not recall my short journey from the baby-sitter’s place to my house! As I got home, I then remembered the HOLY SPIRIT!! I placed my baby in my arms and talked to the Him with tears. It was not a moment of naming, blaming and shaming! Pure, incessant tears flowed!
Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” Romans 8:12 -15
Without much delay, I managed to get my baby to The Old Queen Elizabeth Hospital for Children in East London. The hospital staff was so alarmed at the swell of my baby’s forehead, ready to call the appropriate child care authorities to investigate the injury! What saved me as a mother and the negligence which had caused a severe injury to my baby?
Today, as l write this sad event which took place 27 years ago, I only recall a Scripture which is on my heart since this afternoon in the Old Testament of God’s grace:
Therefore the Lord will wait, that He may be gracious to you; And therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you. For the Lord is a God of justice; Blessed are all those who wait for Him. For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem; You shall weep no more. He will be very gracious to you at the sound of your cry; When He hears it, He will answer you. Isaiah 30:18,19.
The sad event took place on a Thursday and I had to call the office to take a day off whilst I planned my next move to get the right baby-sitter/carer for my baby. I spent the entire Saturday pondering and wondering on what had happened and felt sorry for myself and baby! I decided to take the whole week off and just in a spare of a moment, I remembered when the Holy Spirit spoke these words, “You do not need to weep to know Me, if you want to know Me, you will know Me”. ……….
Something strange happened in my bedroom….who did I discover at the main drive-way in my neighbourhood?
I went on my knees at the bottom of my bed and spoke the words (no tears this time) of exactly what I needed the Holy Spirit to help me with. I told Him that I needed to go to work on Monday and asked Him politely to find me a good nanny for my baby.
Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. John 16:7
The miraculous happened!! As I finished my request to the Holy Spirit, I heard clearly His audible voice in my ears to go downstairs to the main block of estates and at the main entrance drive-way, I will see a lady standing there and I should speak to her to look after my baby.
Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” Whenever you turn to the right hand Or whenever you turn to the left. Isaiah 30:21
Well, I did not even wait for another minute and rushed down to the place the Holy Spirit had showed me. There was a beautiful Caribbean Lady, Auntie Lorna, with a toddler in a pushchair at the precise location as described by the Spirit of the Most High God (whom I call my ‘Papa’ as I adopted from watching the original BBC TV series of Pride and Prejudice)
However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. John 16:13
Late Auntie Lorna looked after my 7 months baby girl till she went to nursery, reception and Primary School. I had my fourth son and she also looked after him till he started nursery.
Auntie Lorna had gone to be with her reward and among the cloud of witnesses in heaven. She fought the good fight of faith. Few days before her passing, she came to show herself to me at home and I witnessed the transformation from the corruptible to the incorruptible as I prayed with her in my kitchen!
In loving Memory of Auntie Lorna.
Beloved, whatever decision you have to make, please tell the Holy Spirit to help you whether it is an emergency, short to long term decision. Decisions such as your daily chores, you can go ahead and undertake them but pray daily and commit your day/activities to Him every morning as you get ready to leave your place of fixed-abode. Useful Psalms are 23, 27 and 91 amongst Scriptures the Lord has laid on your heart.
Please support the work of spreading the Gospel of our LORD JESUS CHRIST by forwarding the True Message for Today to all your friends, family members and colleagues. THE COMING OF JESUS CHRIST IS VERY SOON!!!
Even so, come, LORD JESUS. AMEN