THE GOD HABITAT

As I ponder over this topic, one funny but very significant story that the Holy Spirit brings to my mind is from a Christmas holiday in the village when I was 12. I’ll try to paint a mental picture so you can understand. Now, I come from the northeastern part of Nigeria, a small town nestled between mountains, with the crisp, clear River Benue flowing through, dividing the village into two parts. The air? So fresh and clean, as though it was filtered—the perfect getaway from the hustle and bustle of the city. Even though we didn’t travel often, we looked forward to the years when we spent Christmas in our hometown.

So, we had visited the village that year, and my cousins, who lived in the village, suggested we go swimming. They managed to talk me into believing the superstitious belief that the water recognizes the sons of the soil, and even though you didn’t know how to swim, you could never drown. And as the Bible says in

Proverbs 22:15a, “Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child” (NKJV),

I quickly agreed. Soon, I had jumped into the river, and I didn’t stop at the bank—I launched myself into the deep part. Before I knew it, I was under the water, having the drink of my life. As I regained consciousness while they resuscitated me, I realized it wasn’t rocket science that when you step out of your natural habitat, you lack the skills to survive. Just as fish can’t survive on land because it doesn’t have the makeup for survival there, I was going to die underwater if help hadn’t come.

This reminds me of a man named Samson in the Scriptures (Judges 13-16). He was a legendary Israelite warrior and judge, a divinely inspired leader, known for his unnatural strength. The hand of God was undoubtedly upon him. The only demand was to stay consecrated unto God. He had a godly habitat, and even his parents feared the Lord. However, he strayed into the hands of a strange woman, a habitat that was not built for him. It was only a matter of time before the consequences of that act of disobedience caught up with him. Surprisingly, Samson is not the only one who has stepped out of his “God habitat.” We all have! Whether it is through sexual sin, jealousy, cheating, untruthfulness, greed, pride, etc., the fact remains that

“all have sinned and come short of the glory of God,” as Romans 3:23 (KJV) says.

Every time we go against the foundations laid for us by Christ, we step into danger zones—places God has not prepared for us. Often, it is His mercy that continues to speak for us. Every time we step away from God’s supply, we are telling Him that He’s not enough for us, and this creates loopholes, granting the devil a foothold in our lives.

Just as God had big plans for Samson, in the same way, He has big plans for you and me.

Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.” (NIV)

But disobedience only gets in the way of His plans, and destiny fulfillment takes longer than scheduled. The God habitat transcends the physical, it does not mean the four walls of the church or activities that keep us among other believers (although those are good) but it is about the things that keep us in His presence, regardless of the eyes of men. It is living for Jesus and all that glorifies Him.

Remember, God spoke to the earth to bring forth trees and crops, spoke to the firmament in the heavens to divide day and night, spoke to the waters to bring forth its creatures. And, most importantly, He spoke to Himself to call you into existence. He is your natural habitat. You were not built to survive on your own, outside His supply. And so, I will end with these scriptures that inspire me every day to live for God:

Romans 12:1-2 – “So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for Him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what He wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.” (MSG)

And if you ever wondered what happened to me while reading this piece, I was okay by the next day. I couldn’t tell anyone at home what had happened, and I never went further than a big rock close to the riverbank. I stayed in my habitat.

Prayer:

Father, I thank You for Your child reading this. I pray that You open his/her eyes to see what You have for them and release the grace to stay satisfied in You. In Jesus’ precious name, Amen