Of Names, Kingdoms and Enuchs

Following my quiet moments with God in His Word and in prayer, on my mother’s birthday almost 2 years ago, these were some of my journal thoughts that blessed morning. I have added a few my thoughts as I have pondered these truths over time, so this is loooooong! Beware!

I’ve been fascinated recently by the concept and practice of naming buildings, places and streets after people, whether living or dead. I think it’s fascinating to have a street named after oneself. If you do name something after me that would be splendid! Give me a Big SMILE there. : )

In my new neighbourhood, most or probably all of our streets have been named after the earliest settlers or influential people who were instrumental in developing the neighbourhood. I had a brief encounter with one of the earliest neighbourhood settlers about 2 months ago. This old man said that he knew my parents very well and I was just as curious as to how and why I had never met him before. So I asked his name, and he proudly stated his name and then it hit me. “Oh, Sir! That’s the name of the street by your house!” So I went home was told that he practically got the neighbourhood landowners and builders together so that facilities like water, electricity and roads could be provided. Aah……

Anyhoo, so these people’s names will be remembered as long as the streets or buildings exist or are functional. Future generations will come and see names engraved on a wall plaque, a signpost or on a memorial and ask, “Who is/was this man/woman? Why was this place named after him/her?” and that will lead to storytelling time about the contributions the person made to society.

But… this is not forever. You ask me why? A building can be destroyed by fire, flood, an earthquake, war or some other disaster. People can desert a town or render a building or street non-functional. It has happened countless times before. I always marvel at the pre-colonial great empires such as Songhai, Mali and Ghana of the Saharan desert and the Babylon Empire of biblical times. What about the 7 churches in Revelations in the Bible? What has become of them today? Dead. You only read about them in history books, like the one my dad had me read about Sundiata and the Mali Empire. As a kid, I was so fascinated by Sundiata’s rise from a helpless boy to a brave warrior.

But at the last day, names, heroes and kingdoms wouldn’t matter anymore, because earthly memorials will be permanently destroyed to make way for the new heaven and earth that will be forever and ever. The Heroes of heroes, Jesus Christ will be our principal focus, passion and worship.

It’s astonishing that God promises a category of people, eunuchs, an everlasting name, a memorial within His temple. Hear the Word of the LORD, as the Old Testament prophets would say:

4 “To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths,
who choose what pleases me
and hold fast to my covenant-
5 to them I will give within my temple
and its wall
a memorial and a name
better than sons and daughters;
I will give them an everlasting name
That will not be cut off. ”
Isaiah 56:4-5 (NIV)

I believe this promise is not for now and here only, but particularly for everlasting heaven. Can you imagine God setting up an eternal memorial in heaven just for you? Now when the body of Christ gathers and people ask about such and such memorial, wouldn’t it be amazing to hear your name among the honoured people?

And why would this name be better than sons and daughters? I must say that I find it almost impossible to comprehend fully. One of the privileges of procreation is the gift of passing on the family name to the next generation. Unfortunately, eunuchs don’t have that privilege of passing on the family name because they’ve renounced marriage and thus child bearing for the sake of the Gospel.

But God is saying no, no… this is not the end of you. Don’t say, “I’m only a dry tree,” Isaiah 56:3. I’ll give you a name better than sons and daughters.

In heaven, our earthly names really wouldn’t matter because God is going to give us new names! And eunuchs get everlasting memorials to go with it! Even with all this, the most important Name is HIS. And I want to know that Name that is Above All names.

How infinite is the wisdom of God!

Originally written on November 21, 2007,
but revised over several months!

God bless ya,
Lady Akofa.




Rurgh!

Above is a restaurant decor. I was quite amused when I saw it and remembered these words:

"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." Matthew 5: 14-16

I used to play Cedarmont Kids DVD songs for my lil' nephew almost every evening when he was with us. One of the songs he loved was Let it shine.

Stanza 2 of the song goes like this:

Hide it under bushel
No! I'm gonna let it shine
Hide it under bushel
No! I'm gonna let it shine
Hide it under bushel
No! I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

But the energetic toddler would stump his feet and emphatically roar, "Rurgh!" like a lil' lion whenever "No!" was to be sung, hehehe! And his roar has always reminded me of lil' Simba of Walt Disney's The Lion King.

Hide your light under a bushel?

Rurgh!
Join me!

Lady Akofa. :)

Can words describe this flower?

Most days, there is a burning itch to write and I thump away on computers.
Of course I love writing!

There are other days when words just don't quite fit.

But that's the beauty of it all...

Not everything can be described in words, you know?

There is more to this flower than pink petals bathing in the sun.

What a joy to observe the works of His hands

and praise the Indescribable God who created it all!

God bless ya,
Lady Akofa.





Wildly Curious too? You betta read now!

I’m gonna re-post a question asked by Latukane last December in one of my comment sessions here. I'm sure readers of this blog may try to reconcile what I post with links on my side bar. For a very long time, I had no listings of ‘fave’ webs or blogs on my side bar. Yet, I took the plunge one day. Resulting from that simple act, Latukane asks a question. Please see our correspondence below:


Hello Lady Akofa,

I am wildly curious here. With reference to your blogs of interest and their themes, do you also desire to be a stay at home wife and mom as well as homeschool, should the Lord bless you with marriage?

Thanks, Latukane in AFRICA.
December 2, 2008 8:04 AM


ladyakofa said...
Hi Latukane,

I'm drawn to these blogs because of what they teach about BIBLICAL WOMANHOOD, not necessarily the stay at home mom or daughter, homeschool themes.

In my opinion, being a stay at home mom or homeschooling doesn't make a person more godly than another who works outside the home and sends her kids to school. It's just a matter of choice, conviction and how you chose to glorify God within those choices and His leading.

Now, to answer your question... To be a wife and mom, yes. To homeschool or stay at home... that's a decision my future husband & I will have to make, should I be blessed with this opportunity.

Living on the African continent, the practice of marriage and motherhood is remotely different from the blogs I've linked to and I'm quite aware of this. :) Realistically, I'm not seeking that my future family life will look like the writers linked to... far from it. I just haven't found any African, Christian blog that is REGULARLY updated and that primarily deals with the topic of biblical womanhood yet.

If you have any suggestions for great Christian, African blogs on godly womanhood, I'll love to have links to them and check them out. Thanks!
December 2, 2008 12:00 PM

Anonymous said...
Greetings Lady Akofa, Latukane over here. Thank you for your gracious reply.

I understand about there being a dearth of any African links with the theme of Biblical Womanhood. It is good to know that you are willing to discuss certain subjects with your (Lord-willing) future husband.

I know that things are somewhat different on the African Continent, yet, I have real faith in the Lord that any cultural difference can be bridged as long as God's standards as revealed in the Word are adhered to.

Personally, I have convictions in the direction of homeschooling as well as being a stay at home Mom, because FOR ME, that is God's revelation. I too do not for a moment believe that working outside of the home and sending children to school is a sin, I mean after all, that would mean I was raised in sin and my mother has sinned irrevocably through all my years of life!

For interests sake, it was KCM ministries through the BVOV magazine that 'discipled' me in being rooted in the Christian faith. I had no one ecxept the Holy Spirit, the Bible and that Magazine.

The only possible links I can think of are 'The Reformation Society' and 'Africa Christian Action'. Googling these titles should provide a link.

Thank you once again, for your reply.
December 3, 2008 6:36 AM

ladyakofa said...
My pleasure, Latukane and thanks for your recommendations. I'll google them and see.

Lady Akofa.:)

I did google the recommended phrases and found some interesting webs, but I think they are a bit context limiting to some extent.

So I'm on a life-long search for more of who God wants me to be: A woman of God, living by Grace, enjoying the richness of life that comes from a growing relationship with Him through Christ Jesus.

Have a bliss-FULL, rest-FULL weekend,
Akofa.





Ask Me Anything: Moi

Ok, I'm back. I'm alive and kicking! My work trip was the most fabulous ever. I met some fantastic people in "!ncredible India" as we learnt, shared and had fun together.

But where did you go? I hope I haven't been abandoned? Ooooh, but I missed you!

Just to make amends, here is a picture I took of the sunrise at our top floor dinning area. I just looooove nature images. Makes me feel closer to the One who created it all. Click the image to view a larger size.

So here we go with my "Ask Anything" answers as promised. Stephanie at Thirsty Soul asked 3 questions and I'm gonna answer all 3. So here are my responses:

1. What is your favourite meal?

Hmmm... urm, when somebody starts with, "Hmmm," you know there is a bit of cracking brains, right? A simple thing as your favourite meal? Well... I tell you, what used to be my favourite at 8 years was different from what used to be when I was a teenager and now. So let's just say that my favourite food changes every decade, on the average. And since, I'll soon be turning into a new decade age-wise I'm likely to tell you something else in 10, 20 years. So for now, my favourite meals (I just can't choose one!) are foods that I don't often eat at home by relish them with great delight when I have the opportunity to eat them. And finally, they are: Waakye (rice and beans cooked together usually with tomato sauce), pizza and McDonalds' Big Mac. Yum, yum!

2. What is your Spiritual Gift?

Teaching the Bible, leading Bible studies, that I know for sure. If I've been functioning in other spiritual gifts, I've possibly have taken them as natural gifts or as skills developed over time. But I believe God uses all that He's given, spiritual and natural for His glory.

3. What are you talented at?

Creative writing, journaling... urm, is blogging a talent too?

Drawing smileys :) and making homemade birthday cards. I used to do quite often for my friends and family as a kid and teenager. I hardly bought cards. I should revive this!

Organizing things, administrative stuff and cleaning. Yeah, you saw that right... I love to clean, especially when the gusto power ticks in. Right now, I'm thinking about my messy office which terribly needs a bit of a clean up.

So there we go!

Hope y'all have a lovely, supa-dupa week!
Lady Akofa.











Ask any question

I’m staying away from this blog for about 2 weeks, ‘cos of another work related trip. So now is the time to put back my “Ask Any Question” post. Trivial stuff. And I’ll do my best to answer your questions when I get back.

Today is somebody's day.

Unfortunately, it's not mine. I wish it were.

It's yours.

Yes, I mean you.

You can ask me any question such as favourite game, favourite book, best memories... you know, the trivial kind of stuff. Or just a spin off question from one of my blog posts.

How about that for a lil' fun?
Lurkers, it's time to de-lurk!

:)

God bless ya,
Lady Akofa

Hugs!

I’ve been thinking about hugs lately.

Last Sunday, I observed a bubbly, 5 or 6 year old girl bask in pleasure after one of her many aunts in Christ gave her a big, motherly hug while we exchanged greetings during church service. She shrieked and wiggled with glee. Amused, I walked up to her and asked her, “Would you like another one?” Of course she didn’t mind.

Then yesterday in church, one of my Sunday school kids walked up to me, “Auntie, Happy Valentine,” with a big, kiddie hug. The hug came at the time I was trying to get 20 plus kids to settle down so that we could start our lesson. Aaaaww! A heart melting hug from a sweet kid. Like the first lil’ girl, I’m still relishing in my Valentine hug. : )

Gary Chapman, talks about physical touch as one of the love languages in his seminal book, The Five Love languages. This book has been instrumental in helping me to understand that people express love in different ways. I love receiving and giving hugs but it’s neither my primary nor secondary love language. One of my close friend’s primary language is physical touch and whenever we meet, it’s all sisterly hugs and kisses. And I do these because of her.

I normally extend my hand when greeting people but I’m mostly ok with it if the other person prefers a hug. I often assume that physical touch is their love language. On my recent trip to Egypt, I found out that cheek kisses are normal greetings. When my sister and I discussed this with my parents, my dad also talked about another culture, I think New Zealand, where people look into each other’s faces and rub their noses as a sign of greeting. Hehehe! And now that’s interesting!

Hugs,
Akofa. : )

Edited to add: You can check out this blog too, although it's not directly maintained by Gary Chapman himself.




Stuff around on Valentine

I really don't have anything to say this week, really and especially about Valentine's day. I was going to let the day pass without a post or a comment. Why? Because, I don't know what love is. I keep telling my friends this and will keep saying it. Love? What's that? Beats me.

Of course if you want the biblical definition, you might know that God = love, right? I heartily agree. But I don't fully know God, I'm still getting to know Him more and more.

So here is the problem or probably it's not a problem:

What is love?
God is love.
Who is He?
I'm still getting to know Him.
He can't be fully known on earth.
I know in part now but later I'll fully know.

So then, love beats me! God beats me! Some mystery, eh? :)

Anyway, I've found some interesting reads online, that I think it's worth sharing. See what Suzanne Hadley has to say to singles who have THAT attitude during this season, on Boundless line here.

Girl talk give insightful thoughts on seasons.

For single mothers who think there's no hope for restoration, this might be an encouraging read.

A 9 year old boy claims he knows a thing or two about dating and it's for Guys! I'm not recommending his book, because I haven't read it. I probably never will. But I just want you to go see the news report at BBC.

Enjoy.

Love? Clueless,
Akofa.

***Edited to add: This is really humour, so read it as such! :)




That's my King

I really love this video!

If you're not already familiar with S. M. Lockridge's "That's My King!" - then you should be! His rich words in praise of Jesus is just awesome. It's impossible not to listen without being inspired to find creative ways to praise our God.




Worth watching,

Lady Akofa.

Getting Freaked out by God

I missed real Christian fellowship while I was in Egypt for a work-related trip for about 2 weeks. So I was pretty excited to be back home in Ghana and particularly in church last Sunday, 1st Feb. Somehow God decided to freak me out on my return! Alrigh-dee, not it a negative way but you read on and see why.

During the service, just at the beginning of worship fleeting, potentially distracting and depressing thoughts came to mind. They weren’t things I wanted to think about because I was all geared up for corporate worship after missing two services. With the help of the Holy Spirit, I redirected my thoughts as the congregation worshipped God. At the end of the worship session I watched the worship leader for a signal so the congregation would sit down but she was silent and stood still as if she was waiting for something to happen. I somehow knew a rhema word was coming.

Suddenly a woman at the back of the church started speaking and I strained my ears to hear, only to realize that she was speaking in tongues. Tada! “There had better be an interpretation, Papa God! Nobody understood that,” 1 Corinthians 14.

And our God good knows what he doing… He doesn’t need me, Akofa, the clay to tell Him, the potter, what to do. The worship leader who had earlier paused translated the strange language in English. Although I didn’t get the 1st few words, the part that I heard was enough for me,

“…I am the God of all flesh,
Is anything too hard for me?”

You see, those earlier thoughts questioned God’s ability and revealed my fickle trust in Him, “Ooooh, God if only You’d do such and such. It seems Big and Impossible to me now, but if only You’d intervene.”

So a new day comes and it’s Monday 2nd February. I got to work and while checking my e-mails, I saw a familiar weekly newsletter from Life Coach, Valorie Burton, with the title, "It's not too hard!" Curious, I opened it. In this edition, she talked about her own experience of asking God for humanly impossible but divinely possible things and encouraged her readers to step out of their comfort zones and believe God for such. I read on and she had quoted the very Word that we received in church the previous day citing the Scripture reference as well- Jeremiah 32:26-27.

I almost freaked out! I had been frantically looking for the Scripture reference Sunday night to no avail. Although I was close, I just couldn’t find it. So here is Valorie’s newsletter with what I need. God must be up to something, I said to myself.

Then late Monday afternoon, I’m reading a lady’s God-glorifying testimony on the internet and one of God’s words to her during a trying, baffling period in her life was , guess... you already know it- Jer. 32: 26-27!

And this time, I freaked out! Yes but in a comforting way. God is really up to something and I’ve got to pay attention! Three times within 2 days? On top of it, God and I have a thing about the number 3. My birth date is a third and was born on the 3rd day of the week, if Sunday is considered the 1st. God has also done some cute, interesting things using the number 3 in my life. And by the way, He is 3 in One, right?

Okay-dokey, enough about me. Do you have a far-fetched dream that seem an impossible reality? Are you willing to stretch your faith and bank your hope on God, His Word and Power to do it? Take those baby steps now in honest prayer about your fears, inadequacies (He’s gonna do it not you!) and all. You might want to read the entire Jeremiah 32 to understand the contextual basis for which God made that statement. God is much Bigger than we have made Him out to be.


Don’t get freaked out like I was! :)
God bless ya!
Lady Akofa.