WITNESSES OF MEN AND WOMEN, SITUATIONS AND CIRCUMSTANCES:

This method is good for both spiritually matured and babes in Christ. God is always talking to His own, never want any to walk in ignorance and in darkness. He always shed His lights on our path using various things and means.

The Christian journey is personal but it’s not lonely. We are created to depend on each other, love each other, support each other and comfort each other. No one is an island of knowledge, no Mr. or Miss Know-it-all, we know in parts and knowledgeable in part, so we must share information for the benefit of one another. The challenge you are facing has been someone experience and you can learn from him/her and yours too are meant to encourage someone somewhere someday.

We rejoice with each other and weep together if need be. There are journey you can’t go alone. Ruth was an encourager for Naomi, the daughter she never had and seven times better than the sons she lost – Ruth 4:15. And the other way round, Ruth too wouldn’t have made history without the help of a loving, caring and graceful mother-in-law like Naomi, who was far better than the Moabite mother and family she left behind.

Never ignore things, situations, events and circumstances that surrounds you, they are many a time the voice of God to you for direction and help. That should not make you unnecessarily sensitive to happenings around to the point of fear and even idolatrous behaviors, no, we are only saying God can lead you through events and situations to come across life changing experiences that can be of importance to your happiness, joy and fulfillment in life.

Ruth was a new comer in Israel, she had no means of livelihood and there was a mother-in-law to feed and cater for, so she took advantage of an old practice in the land of Israel. God has commanded the people, when you harvest your field, one or two rolls must not be harvested and whatever fall down during harvesting must never be picked up, the unharvested rolls and those that fell belong to the poor in the land, for there will always be those who can’t help themselves and they must be helped by others who are strong enough.

Those left over crumbs were what Ruth went to gather for herself and her mother-in-law, and by chance (this was never planned) she found herself in a field belonging to Boaz – Ruth 2:3. The rest as they say was history. Abraham servant went searching for a wife, in line with the master’s directive and he prayed for circumstantial evidence to prove divine involvement in his quest for God’s will for his future master. God heard him, Rebecca was the answer and Isaac was happily married after – Gen. 24:13-21. Moses was another example of a man situation and circumstances brought to meet the woman he eventually married – Exodus 2:15-21.

Joseph became the topmost government official in Egypt through series of God orchestrated events – Gen. 50:20. By chance (unplanned situation) a priest came across a scene in Luke 10:31-33, possibly a common events at the time, but unknown to him that particular one was going to enter heaven’s history Book, but the priest was too pious to see and read God’s hands on the situation on ground. A Samaritan finally stole the show and found himself on the side of destiny.

A man of Cyrene, Simon by name by chance came to Jerusalem on a day the city was on a verge of history that will put to silence the power of sin and death, Satan and all demons forever. He and other city dwellers never saw anything too important that day, except that a crowd puller from Nazareth was being marched to His death. Simon walked in circumstantially and he was made to carry the cross of Jesus. He did unwillingly but he never knew he just became a principal part in an event heaven, earth, and hell will never recover from, his name entered history by situation and circumstances – Matt. 27:32.

These and many more contemporary examples abound to show God can use anything and everything to direct your path into His will and make you fulfil destiny, not only in marriage but in all aspects of your life. I met my wife-to-be then in a bus going for a Bible study teachers retreat and we both never recovered from that singular meeting.

We must also know that God can also use situation and circumstances to disapprove an event, situation or relationship you are about to enter into. If one is not sensitive enough and ignore vital signs, events that follows may be too dangerous to reverse. A good example was Paul warning to the Centurion leading some pack of prisoners to Rome when he saw the gathering storms ahead of time, but because Paul was a prisoner his advice was not heeded in preference to the experience sailor advice whose ship they were traveling in. At the end they lost everything after days of difficult and long stormy weather, they were only spare their lives because of Paul – Acts 27:10-11.

Christians must be sensitive to their environment, situation and people’s reactions on issues that affect them, especially on marriage decisions and see if God is making a statement or not. God can use many ways to show his approval or disapproval on your proposed marriage decisions or, these can include but not limited to:

• Your partner to be behavior. A lady that complain everyday about your small salary and how dull you are in making money may be telling you indirectly you are not compatible marriage mates. A man that dislike your look and complain about your appearance almost every time may be telling you how unfit you both are. Don’t be in love and ignore things like that.

• Your in-laws behaviors often send a lot of messages, open your eyes and see.

• Your parents’ reactions when they first hear or met him/her or events that happens after they met. Take notes of these things.

• Your close friends, co-workers, neighbors etc. These people body languages speak volumes than their verbal words, take care of this as well.

• Situations and events, why is it anytime either partner is on a journey to facilitate their wedding plan some bad things will almost happen, not necessarily to them but to people around. For example every time either travel to her/his place there is always one or two accidents happening on the way, not to them, but to someone else. That speak volume.

• Etc.

Let me close with this personal example that just came to mind, I have forgotten but the Lord just reminded me now. We were in Kano when we met and she lives in a busy side of town. There were times I have to visit the family (I used commercial bike, okada, almost all the time then) especially when I discovered the family was positively dispose to my coming, that was reassuring but that is not the point here.

There was this very busy round about junction very close to their house, I passed that junction several times both before and after I married. At this junction was a traffic light that control human and vehicular movements, one day as I was passing through that spot going to my wife-to-be house, Holy Spirit called my attention to something I almost missed. That each time I passed through this place on my way to her house, as soon as I arrived the traffic lights on my side of the road is always green and that I was never stopped, not for once since I have been coming to her house passing that spot. That that was a sign God is prospering my path and marital intention.

When that thought came I quickly did a quick reflection to past visits, as many as they were then and I realized that was very correct. There I concluded, God is using the green traffic light as sign of approval that she is to be my wife. I passed that junction many times after that day and the green light was never green again (laugh), the message was already passed, it job ended the day I got the message. God discontinued the sign so I won’t idolize the spot in my mind but that did not happened until He made me see it.

If a man’s way pleased the Lord, He will make everything and anything speak to him, but the fool and the ignorant will pass by and ignore vital signs. Have a deep reflection and think of an experience or more, God use witnesses of men and women, situations and circumstances to speak to you. Just any experience, it doesn’t have to be on a marital issue. You might be surprise you have a long list already that have gone almost unnoticed.

Henceforth, prayerfully observe situation, circumstances, and people’s reactions and see if God is making a statement or not.  God can send positive statements in the midst of negative events and He can send His disapproval or negative statement amidst positive happenings. Be open to instructions, don’t stereotype His move.

Warning:

Please note that the devil too uses this methods to send confusions into the way of believers. Take note of the pattern with which things got unfolded and compare with the Word of God and His promises. No man or woman word or situation, circumstances or events should be rated above the Word of God and its provisions for life and direction in righteousness. Be familiar with the Word, read and study your Bible and let the Word of God guide all your decisions.

“To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them” – Isa. 8:20.

The Word of God must have the final say in all matter that affect the believer’s life, irrespective of the circumstances and situations around you.

“If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them” – John 13:17.