Take Abraham for example. He was 75 when God promised him that he would be the father of a great nation, whose people would be too numerous to count. After 11 years, Abraham gave God a little help by producing Ishmael. When he was 100, Isaac finally came – 25 years after the promise Abraham had but one son of promise. Isaac and Rebekah didn’t have Esau and Jacob until Isaac was 60 years old – 85 years after the promise there has been only two children of promise born. Some nation.
Why does God move so slowly? Most of us look for God to work His promises in our lives daily, weekly, monthly, perhaps yearly, but in Abraham’s case it seemed to be more by decade. There were very long periods of time when God seemingly did nothing. I can only come to the conclusion that this is what God intends – he embarks with us on a journey of faith. Once in a while we rejoice at God’s fulfillment of promise in our lives, but most of our days are spent in the anvil of God’s promise and present circumstance. That is where we are squeezed and we respond with faith or disillusionment.
I think of all the wonderful single people I know who long to be married. I think of those dreaming of being a missionary, yet are faced with seemingly insurmountable obstacles. I think of those women who, like Sarah, cannot have children of their own. I think of most young people in a fog of confusion about how to serve the Kingdom vocationally. God’s promises beckon and give hope. Present circumstances mock and discourage. And God doesn’t seem in a hurry to solve our dilemma.
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see”. “We live by faith, not by sight”.
Dave, you sound like a muse. that was the work of a wordsmith- very beautifully put.