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Living for the long haul

Photo by KAUE FONSECA on Unsplash

“Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?”
“That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,” said the Cat.
“I don’t much care where—” said Alice.
“Then it doesn’t matter which way you go,” said the Cat. “—so long as I get somewhere,” Alice added as an explanation.
“Oh, you’re sure to do that,” said the Cat, “if you only walk long enough.” 

Looking past the absurdity of a cat talking, there is great wisdom in the above excerpt from the novel, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (Chapter 6, Pig and Pepper). The Cheshire cat – a fictional character known for its distinctive mischievous grin, delivers in this exchange with Alice, a punch-line that speaks so accurately and timely into our lives.

Your intended destination determines the direction you take. It goes without saying, I guess, moreso as we see this notion at play in the dynamics of our everyday lives. Extending this thought into the reality of our Christian experience, believers are, in the gospel, armed with both the motivation and vision to live brazen Christ-centred lives.

This idea flies in the face of the misleading notion that it is possible to be so heavenly focused that we’re of little or no earthly good. Quite the contrary, the Bible argues, as it calls for single-minded devotion to God alongside love for neighbour that compares only with self-love. If ever we think of ourselves or others as so preoccupied with eternal things that we have no time for temporal good, then there is the odd chance that it’s anything else but heaven that’s on our mind.

A more plausible pitfall, and hence one to be wary of, is the reverse, where we get so tangled up in the affairs of this world that we rarely get up to much eternal good. In a frenzied, media saturated world, there is no shortage of distractions, legitimate and spurious ones alike. As such, it takes a good dose of intentionality and self-discipline to keep in step with the Spirit in order to steer the course of a maturing life of Christian discipleship.

It bears saying again that my goal isn’t so much to write of novel ideas that you’ve never heard of, as it is to remind us of things we must not forget. In that vein, as we navigate the unchartered territories of a new day or year, let us be diligent to examine and orient our choices in line with the end to which we have been called – to show forth the praises of him who called us out of darkness into his marvellous light! 1 Peter 2:9. For, the clearer we behold the glories of the eternal, the more zealous we become of good works, done to the glory of God and for the good of others.

May we be those who attend to things temporal with eyes intent on the eternal. Amen!

Thanks for reading!

Sike Osinuga.

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Christmas: The Clue is in the Name

Hands up if you’ve spotted or perhaps already eaten anything pertaining to Christmas!

Depending on what part of the world you live in, different things signal the arrival of Christmas, arguably the most wonderful time of the year. Some put up tinsels and twinkly lights. Others don Christmas jumpers. Carols are sung and played. Mince pies – disappointingly bereft of any trace of meat – are stacked in the shops. Christmas trees make their way into living rooms. Greeting cards are exchanged.

Whichever of those traditions resonates with you, there’s no missing it: the season is upon us. But what’s all the fuss about? Well, the clue is in the name.

Continue reading at TGCA.

Thanks for reading!

Sike Osinuga.

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Help! I don’t pray

There are fewer questions, capable of humbling a vast majority of professing Christians today than “how is your prayer life?” or even a more pointed variant “do you pray?”

No surprises, eh?  Those are personal questions indeed, and answers to such questions could prove quite revealing; all the more reason why they are well worth asking and being asked.

Attempting to write about prayer could be just as humbling! Yet I offer these words, not as one who is a better pray-er, but as one challenged by the necessity and importance of cultivating a consistent prayer life.

Continue reading on City Church blog.

Thanks for reading!

Sike Osinuga.

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The Pilgrim’s Progress

Hardback

It’s been quite a while! We’ll chalk that up to the joys of school holidays… and perhaps a bit more!

That notwithstanding, I did get up to some reading, one of which is the subject of my book recommendation for this month –The Pilgrim’s Progress; from this world to that which is to come – by John Bunyan.

A shared experience

The Pilgrim’s Progress, an enduring classic first published in the 17th century, is regarded as a significant piece of religious English literature. Written in an allegorical format, Bunyan sets forth the journey of Christian, an ‘everyman’ character, from the City of Destruction (this world) to the Celestial City (that which is to come). It fittingly depicts and chronicles the reality of the Christian life, regardless of the day and age, such that readers are able to relate to the exhilarating experiences of persevering faith.

Words of hope, encouragement, rebuke and guidance, all laced within a biblical framework, are in ample supply, as we encounter tales of seeming defeat as well as triumphs. No surprises at all, seeing that Christian’s ordeal started the moment he opened the book (i.e., the Bible) in his hand to read. It is not unlikely that Bunyan wrote from his personal experience, even though this account was conveyed as a dream he had as he lay down in a county jail to sleep.

Reading this book was an absurd experience of duty and delight; it seemed like it would take forever to read through. But as it turned out, the unhurried pace was just what I needed to savour the author’s genius of expression and imagination in storytelling. Page after page, as the narrative unfolded, the lucid imagery and language transported me from the realm of a reader far removed from the scene, right into the shoes of the protagonist, Christian. Without doubt, there were also moments when the’ hat’ of other featuring characters fit so well, both the good and not-so-good alike!

Oldie but a goldie

Modern pilgrims need not despair at the trials and temptations that line the path from this world to that which is to come; we have, in the Pilgrim’s Progress, an example and forerunner, a fellow pilgrim who has walked the same road, made the most of the ever so ordinary means of grace, and safely arrived the shores of the Celestial City. Slowly but surely, there remains a sure hope of transformation into the image of Christ, from one degree of glory to another (2 Corinthians 3:18).

Without tampering with the author’s original intent and message, what started out in antiquated old fashioned language is now widely available in refreshingly easy-to-read formats. Modern readers are therefore without excuse if ever they miss out on such valuable treasure!

Thanks for reading!

Sike Osinuga.

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Do you pray?

J.C. Ryle, a 19th Century Anglican bishop, asks a pointed and necessary question in this very short book – Do you pray? A question for everybody.

Below is an excerpt of the book’s prologue:

And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. (Luke 18:1)

I desire then that in every place the men should pray (1 Timothy 2:8)

“I want to ask you an exceptionally important question. It is the title of this short book and it is contained in just three words: Do you pray?

Only you can answer that question. Your minister knows whether you attend public worship or not. Your relatives know whether you have family prayers at home or not. Your friends may know whether you pray with other people. But only you know whether you pray in private. That is a matter between just you and God.

I beg you to think carefully about this. Please do not say that the question is too personal. If your heart is right in God’s sight, it should not be a problem. There is nothing to be worried about. Please do not try to sidestep my question by saying that you ‘say your prayers’. We all know that it is one thing to say your prayers, and another thing entirely to ‘pray’. And please do not tell me that my question is unnecessary. Bear with me a little while longer, and I will show you that I have some very good reasons for asking it.”

In a simple and straightforward manner, the book offers reasons why the question that doubles as its title is a vital one to ask and be asked. “Do you genuinely want to grow in grace and be a truly holy Christian? If you do, there is no more important question than this: Do you pray?“

Do pick up a copy to read.

Thanks for reading!

Sike Osinuga.

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Flying on gospel wings

Photo by Lili Kovac on Unsplash

“Run, John, run, the law commands, but gives us neither feet nor hands,

Far better news the gospel brings: It bids us fly and gives us wings”

Whilst there’s some uncertainty as to whether the quote above originated from John Bunyan, it is indeed a profound summary of the gospel that rightly deserves our attention.

Our earlier introductory post concluded on the highpoint of the comfort that we do not war alone or in our strength, rather through the help of the Spirit. We follow that up today with a word on how we may profit from the Spirit’s help made readily available to us.

Two sides of a coin

Quite apart from works-based faith systems, Christianity offers salvation primarily on the basis of faith in Jesus’ finished work on our behalf; that faith however manifests in good works, as James concludes – “So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead” James 2:17.

Believers are, on one hand, called to actively put to death (mortify) works of the flesh, and on the other, fan to flames (vivify) a new spiritual life. These two aspects go hand in hand, and involve us consciously keeping in step with The Spirit.

Rarely does the Holy Spirit work in a one-off manner to bring about sustained spiritual growth in a believer’s life; what we see instead, in Scriptures, is a complementary interplay, where the believer has the personal responsibility to pursue holiness faithfully, carefully and earnestly. Spiritual maturity largely depends on how the gifts and resources at our disposal are put to use.

The Domino effect

Giving in to a moment’s worth of guilt or shame may lead us to impulsively embrace new patterns of behaviours, but as we know, quick fixes aren’t always lasting. Tony Reinke in his book – 12 ways your phone is changing you – cautiously warns against quick but ineffective change; and even though his focus is on battling social media addictions, his identification of what we really need holds true across board – “new life disciplines birthed from a new set of life priorities and empowered by our new life in Jesus Christ.” In other words, our new life in Christ empowers us with new life priorities that, in turn, birth new life disciplines. Anything short of that God-given order is unlikely to yield lasting change.

Maturity through habit

Surely there’s a marked difference between a maturing Christian and one who is not, all thanks to everyday choices that slowly, but surely, morph into habits! At the risk of overgeneralising, humans are, by and large, creatures of habit, be they habits we have willingly cultivated or ones we’ve had imposed on us. Nevertheless, we do well to orient our choices and habits for our temporal good and even more so for our eternal good.

Oh that we would fly on the wings of the gospel!

Thanks for reading!

Sike Osinuga

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Desires at War


Photo by Anna Samoylova on Unsplash

“Your money or your life?”

A dreadful question posed under duress by a robber to an unsuspecting victim. What a question! Would anyone in their right senses choose money over life, knowing that giving up the latter inevitably means losing the former?  What choice could there possibly be?  Well, considering that we, as humans, often choose according to our greatest inclination of the moment, a victim does actually have a choice, regardless of how sensible that is.  So, if in that split second, the thought of making it away unhurt crosses the victim’s mind, and the allure of money prevails, then the ‘unanticipated’ answer carries the day, much to the chagrin of the bandit!

A spiritual tug o’ war

The reality of our Christian life is that we’re always in some kind of tug of war – pulled by the flesh and at the same time pulled by The Spirit, the heart and the mind of the believer being the battleground. As a result of this ongoing conflict, we’re constantly having to make value judgements, some times more wisely and thoughtfully than other times. These value judgements, be they well- or ill- informed, result in the choices we make. Choices are rarely ever neutral. Rather, they spring from underlying desires that mean we prefer one thing over another at any given point in time. We may however grow accustomed to certain choices, such that over time, we instinctively choose the same thing with little or no thought.

When it comes to sin, the excuse ‘the devil made me do it’ may be true on some levels, but our desires are not totally in the clear. Every sin is an inside job!

“Nobody sins out of duty, we sin because we believe sin’s promise of pleasure” – John Piper. At that crunch time, sin is alluring and pleasurable, and so the heart gives in to the stronger desire for the flesh or the Spirit, as the Bible states:

“For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. ” Galatians 5:16.

A virtuous circle

Sometimes we’re led to believe that there’s not much correlation between our spiritual development and the pleasures we habitually either indulge in or forgo, yet the truth remains that “I do what I do because I want what I want”. Indeed, desires fuel actions, but sometimes, wanting is not enough, we need to take actions that prompt and nurture certain desires. So, almost in a cyclical manner, desires fuel actions that fuel desires.  Delight comes from significant beholding, meditating and thinking upon, the object of desire being ultimately either the world or The Word.

Keeping in step

One of the consequences of embracing the lordship of Christ is that we are no longer at the centre of our lives. Christ is, and He gives us an identity to live from. The implication of that then is that every choice we make, however small it seems, moves us one step away from or towards honouring Christ as Lord.

The good news however is that in this raging war, we do not strive in our human effort, instead we are called to live by the Spirit, keeping in step with the Spirit. Having said that, the Spirit works through means.

Do stay tuned for more on this in our next post.

Thanks for reading!

Sike Osinuga

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The Hiding Place

The Dutch ten Boom family not only have a peculiar family name but an even more remarkable story and life experience. A modest family of watchmakers risked their all, and eventually their lives, as they offered succour to Jews during the Nazi invasion of Holland. Theirs was a tale of unwavering faith in God’s good purposes in the face of hardship and persecution; security in the midst of insecurity; and a first-hand experience of what it means to call God father.

Being no history buff, reading The Hiding Place offered me a glimpse into the reality of the war experience from the perspective of an eye-witness and survivor. Yet in contrast to the gloom and terror of sheer human brutality, the radiance of persevering family life and relationships shines through the pages of this intriguing account. Carefully and purposefully narrated, each chapter draws the reader in, all the while teaching important life lessons based on Biblical principles. Little wonder that is the case, the ten Booms were devout Christians who made much of their faith. Heart-felt prayers were not far from their lips; it was their go-to response to both the highs and lows of daily life.

Betsie in one awkward prayer moment even thanked The Lord for the fleas that plagued their overcrowded prison room… talk of giving thanks in all circumstances!

Duly do we regard the ten Boom sisters – Corrie and Betsie as matriarchs of the faith. Somehow they were able to make sense of the absurdity of their lives, as Corrie surmised:

“Life in Ravensbruck took place on two separate levels, mutually impossible. One, the observable, external life, grew everyday more horrible. The other, the life we lived with God, grew daily better, truth upon truth, glory upon glory.” Pg. 182

There’s so much to be learnt from the lives of these ordinary women who took refuge in Jesus. Reading this autobiography will challenge you on one hand, and encourage you on the other.  On the whole, it offers an assurance like no other – Jesus is our hiding place too and He is trustworthy. What better place to be than in the centre of His will!

“There are no ‘if’s’ in God’s world. And no places that are safer than other places. The centre of His will is our only safety – O Corrie, let us pray that we may always know it!” – Betsie ten Boom.

Thanks for reading!

Sike Osinuga.

*Corrie ten Boom’s story has been an inspirational best seller since its original publication in 1971, it was shortly after made into a popular feature film.

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The Tomb with a view

Photo by J CS on Unsplash

Depending on individual taste and appreciation of nature, upscale hotel lodgers – given the choice – are known to opt for rooms with a view. I suppose the rationale behind that choice is very understandable indeed – there’s something refreshingly captivating about gazing far into a beautiful horizon with no obstructions. In a moment, the viewer is transported right into the midst of majestic beauty and calmness, leaving behind the frazzle of a noisy and busy life. What could possibly be more enticing?

The Game-changer

Christians all over the world have just celebrated Easter, commemorating the death and resurrection of Christ. Given that this remembrance happens every year since that first Easter weekend hundreds of years ago, there’s a tendency to take for granted the significance of this history-defining event. It therefore bears recalling and retelling, for as the Apostle Paul asserts:

 “And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. 15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.” 1 Cor. 15: 14 – 16

In other words, our faith hinges on the event of that first Easter weekend!

Keeping an eternal perspective

The account of Jesus’ death and resurrection features not in isolation, but within a wider sweep of redemptive history, where God in His mercy is reconciling sinners to Himself. Our alienation from God as a result of sin was dealt with at the cross, and His wrath placated. As such, we no longer stand condemned – not now, not ever. Hallelujah, what a Saviour!

Admittedly, the reality of our present circumstances may tempt us to question how much of good news the gospel really is. But Paul again helps us put things in perspective:

“16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” 2 Cor. 4:16-18.

Whilst a lodger can temporarily revel in the joys of a hotel room with a transcendent view, the gospel offers us something more eternal. Because Christ has indeed been raised, our faith is not futile, and through that empty tomb, we are offered a view that changes everything both here and now, and in the life after.

Happy Easter!

Thanks for reading!

Sike Osinuga.

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Why bother with the Bible?

For a good while now, The Gospel Coalition (TGC) – a gospel-centred ministry blog – has been a remarkable blessing to me. The numerous and varied content out there has been nothing short of spiritually enriching. I like to believe that is the case for majority, if not all, of its visitors!

As such, I am delighted and humbled to have had the opportunity to write for TGC Africa recently, on a topic that is near and dear to me – ‘Why bother with the Bible?’.

“Consider the absurdity of a group of friends who get together for a game of soccer. One of them suddenly realises and announces that they have left the soccer ball at home, only for someone to reply, with a dismissive wave of their hand: “Forget the ball, let’s get on without it.”

Such a situation is unseemly, not to mention unlikely, yet it serves as a metaphor for Christianity throughout Africa. Though it is unthinkable that a game of soccer would kick off without a ball, many Christians go about their lives without regularly hearing from God in his Word. Actually, many wonder why we should even bother with the Bible…”

Head over to read the full article at TGC. And while you’re at it, do browse the array of multimedia content on offer, which is sure to whet the appetite of both the least and most theologically astute alike.

Thanks for reading!

Sike Osinuga

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