One of my favorite quotes, which I put into a list of my beatitudes (no disrespect intended to the ones from the Bible), is this: "Blessed are those who acknowledge that there is only one God and have quit applying for His position!" So no matter who thought (me) that yesterday was B-Day, it was not. Disappointed? A little, but relieved that all is well, and I also have heard that waiting produces character! So blessed are the patient because they won't be a pain to those around them!
In BSF this week we are studying how we should respond to God's promises. Like this: if God gives me a promise and I believe Him, and it doesn't happen right away, or yesterday, as I hoped, what should I do? I know from my study of Sarah in Genesis, what not to do. I should not take matters into my own hands. You know, I should not help God out a little or a lot, or move things along. Helping Him out sounds reasonable if I know and believe the thing God promised is a good thing. A blessed thing! Perhaps, I might think, God is just busy today, He has a lot on His plate. In Sarah's situation the promised baby was more than a wonderful, miraculous and life-changing gift to them, but for all mankind. God promised Abraham that He would make him the father of His chosen people, so numerous that they would be like the stars in the heavens, uncountable. And God actually took Abraham outside and showed him the sky! And the promise included Sarah. But it had been ten years and Abraham wasn't getting any younger. Ten years earlier Abraham had reminded God that he was already half-dead! And Sarah? She laughed at the idea. So, Sarah cooked up a plan to help God out…still believing part of God's promise - the part about Abraham being the father of the nation of God. But her part, that was just too much for her. As an applicant for God's position, Sarah went into action and convinced her husband to go along with it. The story gets pretty ugly after that, and I won't retell it all, since you can read the whole drama in Genesis 16. I did learn that the outcome and result was so wrong that we are still paying the price for Sarah's half-belief. The son of Abraham and Sarah's handmaiden, Hagar, was Ishmael. He was a "donkey of a man," argumentative, war-like, hostile and evil. He became the father of the Arab nation which still rage against God's chosen people today.
Back to the future. Today. Not B-Day. No complaining to God from me. All is well. The precious ones are resting and we are all waiting…patiently. None of us are helping God out today. We are letting the Master of the Universe control B-Day and all the days of our lives. He really doesn't need our help. He is the omniscient, loving Father who wants to be the giver of all good gifts to us…on His time schedule, not ours. I am thanking Him in advance for the gifts He has already promised and the prayers He will answer for all of us. In His time. Letting go and letting God.
"Be still, and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10
"Among the gods, there is none like you, O Lord; nor are there any works like Your works. All nations whom you have made shall come and worship before You, O Lord, and shall glorify Your name. For You are great, and do wondrous things. You alone are God." Psalm 86:8-10
Prayer:
Father, how we love You! How wonderful to praise your name and believe entirely the promises You have given to us! God, You are in control and You alone. We thank You for that!
Amen
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