Tuesday, May 29, 2012

~ "Ever faithful..."


Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised. (Heb 11:11)

Faith is believing that God can and will do the impossible.  There is nothing He cannot do.  When you feel that desperate tugging at your heart, that it's all "ruined" and that you have once again doubted everything promised...look up!  He know your strengths and weaknesses.  His promises are ever-present and always fulfilled.  He has not abandoned you.  His timing is perfect.  You just need to sit quietly and wait.  

So many devotions I've read tell me that the storms I'm passing through are necessary.  They tell me that after the storm comes the calm.  They tell me that my Heavenly Father will reward my faithfulness and my days of darkness will shine bright again.  

But what happens when we wait and wait and see our world crumbling - what happens to our faith???  When we feel left alone for so long, our faith in His promises can sometimes wane.  We become frustrated, sometimes angry, sometimes terrified.  We know the logistics of what we "need".  We understand the human necessities.  "Does God really want me to not live where I live?"  "Does God want me to live in a box?"  "God is not gonna dump a bag of money on my lawn."  "God is not gonna tell that employer to hire me."  I could go on and on, but I think you get the idea.

It's not about what God isn't going to do.  It's about what He can and will do in His time.  It's about what He wants for us, not what we want Him to want for us.  It would be very nice if God's plan and my wants were one in the same and if He could see His way clear to allow that to happen right now, I would be forever grateful!  That statement puts conditions and limitations on God (something we do not have a right to do, nor is it a very good idea).  Let's go back to the fact that He knows our needs.  Why do we ask for things we already know He knows we need (confused???).  When the table is set, and the food is on the stove - how many times do your children (or did you as a child) come to the kitchen and ask if they are going to eat?  Mine did it every day!  The answer is "of course I'm going to feed you!"  

Of course God is going to provide for you!  He will feed you, clothe you and comfort you!  We don't have to ask for those things!  What we do need to do is go to Him in humility, asking for His protection and preservation of our soul - of our faith!  If we have faith that the sun will rise in the morning (because we've seen the evidence of that promise), why is it so hard to have faith in His other promises to us?  How many times has God provided us with the "proof" of His benevolent nature and blessings in our lives?  How many "miracles" has He performed?  How much more proof do we need to know that He is not going to leave us to alone to fend for ourselves?

Relax and rejoice in His word!  When your faith starts to fall away because you feel your cry for help has yet to be answered, know that He's heard you - He knows!!!  And if your world should come crashing in on you yet again, know that that, too, is part of His plan!  He's got something much better for you and you aren't paying attention!  Put your faith in perspective with your heart's desires.  Have the faith that can and will move mountains (as Sara did).  Know that where there should be nothing - God can make something!  His promises are sound!  Look to the sunrise if you have doubts and know that before the sun sets, all things that are of God will be accomplished!