“Behold, I will again
    do wonderful things with this people,
    with wonder upon wonder … ”  (Isaiah 29:14a ESV)

Surely, you and I have tasted and seen the wonders of God in our lives.  Our experiences may vary qualitatively or quantitatively, yet, they warmed our hearts, changed us and raised our expectancy as these become launching pads for the next ones.

These are our countless stories that we can always revisit and infuse us with courage and strength.  But these do not just benefit our own selves if we get to share them to those around us whom God has built as our influential territory.  Then, our identity of being blessed become a blessing to others.

To be agents of God’s wonders cannot be achieved without us being recipients of His wonders first.  We cannot give what we do not have.  We cannot make others experience His goodness without us experiencing it first.  It is simply parallel to,  “We love because He first loved us.”  (1 John 4:19).  We love Him and love others because of the overflowing love that He filled us with by the indwelling of His Spirit in us.

He is the Vine, we are the branches that can never survive independent from our life’s origin.  In the same way, branches can never bear fruit if they’re cut off from the Vine.  All fruitfulness flows from our connectedness and intimacy with Him. Our “Yes” to the Vine makes us as the branches have what the Vine has. Freely we receive what the Vine gives. In effect, we bear fruit and freely give what we have freely received.

The Lord our God is the Source of all.  We are not. We are His conduits for His will to flow through us what He made available to those around us.  It is all about Christ in us, the Hope of glory. It is all about allowing His life to live in and through us. We cannot be or bear the image of God unless we have a revelation of Him living in us with full reliance in Him, in His power and His ability to touch people with His wonders. It is never by our own might nor by own power, but by His Spirit. And His will is to fill the earth with the knowledge of His glory and goodness as the waters cover the sea.  Thus, you and I have an incredible significant part to play as His living epistles.

Jesus is the Author and the Finisher of our faith, and all He desires from us is our “Yes, Lord” heart.  He is the Head of the whole body in which we are all joined and knit together by what we can supply for the advancement of His Kingdom.  All we can give Him is our obedience and faith as expressions of our love for Him and never out of compulsion. We say “Yes” because “we want to” and not “we have to”. Our union with Him postures us to tap into His desires that become our own.

When we believe and receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, God sees us as His chosen and precious ones.  He calls us a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His precious prized possessions and the object of His affection.  He calls us His own people whom He is so mindful of.  This is so, so that who we become because of Who He is to us, we become to those around us. “As He is, so are we in this world.” (1 John 4:17)

On Christmas day of 2022, I travelled going to my hometown province.  I was not really conscious of how I can get to be a blessing on the way.  My thoughts were more consumed on whether I could get a grab ride to the airport at 1am and queuing for my flight since an expected multitude of travelers will be at the airport.  Then, I have another three and a half hours van ride till I get to my destination.  But, I knew deep within me that God Who is so rich in mercy and abounding in love had already gone before me to straighten my path and level my ways.

When I booked a grab ride to the airport, no one was accepting it after multiple tries.  As I was waiting, I went on to read my devotional book and it said, “As you wait attentively for My Presence, the Light of the knowledge of My Glory shines upon you”.  Hmmmm … what an awesome reminder indeed.

Then I quickly opened my Bible and read on what angel Gabriel told Mary, “DO NOT BE AFRAID, Mary, for you have found favor with God.” (Luke 1:30)   Immediately I got up and declared the favor of God on me, loosed angels to get me a ride and said, “Lord, I will not be afraid, for I have set my heart  to trust You and that Your glory is shining upon me.”   A couple of minutes later, I tried to book again, and Hallelujah, as fast as lightning, if I may say hahaha, I got booked!  Praise the Lord!  What a WONDER!

Hmmm … many may think it’s just a mere coincidence!  But, there are no coincidences when we believe that the Lord orders our steps and He busies Himself with our every step. The more we incline our ears to hear Him speak through His living word, the more our hearts get settled in peace because His Word is never void of power and He is always faithful to fulfill it. 

I always say this, “We live because He still speaks and He will continue to do so for His Name is The Word.” We do not merely read His Word just as any other book. His Word is living and doing! His Word is powerful. We read the Scriptures not for us to have a better life. We meditate the Scriptures so that we may live His life in and through us. We abide in Him and His word abiding in us.

At the airport, while I was waiting for boarding, I went for a short toilet break.  At the entrance, I saw the lady assigned to maintain its cleanliness.  Hmmm … prompted to bless her?  Oh yes, before I left, I handed her a monetary blessing and simply said, “Merry Christmas and God bless you.”  Oh what I beautiful grateful smile I got and how it warmed my heart.   What a WONDER for her and for me!

Was it hard to obey? Nahhhhh …. I love making surprises to those who do not know me. 

Then, on my three and half hours van-ride, was I expecting something?  Nahhhh.  It is fun to think that the Lord does not allow us to see what is to come and what He is planning to do, but in a flash He will show up and show us, and at times, we only a have a measure of time to respond.

Ten minutes before I reached my destination, the van stopped at a bus station to pick up more passengers.  Mind you, the place where I traveled is kinda remote and many people still live in the mountainside.  Then, three ladies hopped in laughing.  I guess it was their first time to ride on a van as I heard them saying, “Ohhh no ..  it’s aircon!  This must be expensive.” 

A little while later, of all the people on board, one of them asked me, “How much is the fare?”  Funny because I was seated on the front row and there were people seated beside them. Why ask me and not them?   Hmmm … at that point in time, I could see my heart “smiling”!  I simply answered,”I do not know since I have not been home for the past four or five years”.  Then, they said to each other, “This must be expensive!”.

As I was listening to them, my heart was pounding and bursting.  So, I turned around and said, “Don’t worry, I’ll pay for your fare.”  They were so surprised and joyfully thanked me.  But what I was about to hear was what made my day.  The three of them started saying … “Thank You, Lord, that someone “rich” paid for our fare today.” I was literally laughing inside when I heard the word “rich” hahahaha!  But then again, we have a RICH Heavenly Father and we are His sons and daughters!  WHAT AN AWESOME WONDER to witness, that with a little thing done to them, they thanked and praised the Lord.

That same night when I arrived, we had a little get together party and my family invited two of our dearest friends who had no inkling at all that I came home.  In fact, I have spoken to one of them the day before and promised something big for me if she sees me since it has been ages I have not been home.   When they came and saw me, ohhhh … their expressions were priceless!!!  We surprised them and brought WONDER indeed!

His Word says, “You are like that illuminating light. Let your light shine everywhere you go, that you may illumine creation, so men and women everywhere may see your good actions, may see creation at its fullest, may see your devotion to Me, and may turn and praise your Father in heaven because of it.” (Matthew 5:16 Voice)

A week later, when I was on my way back, I had a four-hour waiting period at the airport before my flight. I was just reading and at the same time observing the people around me.

Two hours later, I stood up and lined up to check in.  Somehow I found myself asking the guy in front of me what his flight number was and when he said it, I said, “your flight is almost boarding”, he did not even know.  The airline personnel who was in the vicinity also heard him and immediately came near to facilitate and expedite his check in.  Hallelujah!  Oh wow .. that came as a WONDERFUL surprise to me and I’m sure a WONDER to him as well.  With just one question asked, someone’s path shifted not to miss his flight.  Only the Lord Who does wonders can do that through us.

“You are God’s chosen treasure – priests who are kings, a spiritual “nation” set apart as God’s devoted ones.  He called you out of darkness to experience His marvelous light, and now He claims you as His very own.  HE DID THIS SO THAT YOU WOULD BROADCAST HIS GLORIOUS WONDERS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.” (1 Peter 2:9 TPTP

A couple of minutes later, someone came in the queue behind me, a very young lady. She was asking me of my flight details and inquired if she was on the right track.  I believe it was her very first flight.  So, I assured her that she was at the right place.  

After checking in and into the boarding gate, she was following me closely and even sat beside me.  I guided her until she boarded since her seat number was called to board first. 

What I have done may seem too little from my point of view of having travelled a lot, but it must be a big WONDER for her to be directed and assured that she was on the right flight to her destination. 

On board the airport taxi ride back home, I encountered  a “complainer” taxi driver hahaha!  He was not very nice at all, somehow rude?  Or maybe that was just how he communicates.  You see, we’ve got to enlarge our capacity to understand and be patient, by the working of the Holy Spirit in us, so we will not fulfill the dictates of our flesh.  

I did not indulge myself in the conversation for I knew he was just trying to maybe convince me to give him a tip hahaha!  Oh well, that was what I thought.

But, when I reached home, I did not say a word but handed him a tip he did not expect.  In short, I got a big smile and a well-volumed thank you back. 

The Lord our God indeed works wonders to and through us.  And when we have a revelation that we are in partnership with Him to make His wonders made known to those around us, it changes us, it changes what we seek and it changes what we see.  GLORY TO GOD!

“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good,
    for His steadfast love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of gods,
    for His steadfast love endures forever.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
    for His steadfast love endures forever;

TO HIM WHO ALONE DOES GREAT WONDERS,
    for His steadfast love endures forever … ” (Psalm 136:1-4)