Faith and Patience

What does this verse do to you?

"Abraham and Sarah died in faith not having received what was promised, but having seen it and greeted it from far."  Hebrews 11:13

I will tell you what it does to me.  It makes me want to say, "God, why are you promising me things if you are never going to let me live to see the fulfillment of the promises?  Why get my hopes up?  Why let me in on your big plan if I don't get to celebrate with you?"

Sounds kind of lame.  Childish.  Self-centered.  It reminds me that we are so "now" centered in our culture that we often forget that our true home awaits elsewhere.  We forget that we are citizens of another realm where promises do indeed come true and faith becomes our eyes. 

Abraham and Sarah died in faith.  Sure, God had given them a partial fulfillment of His promises in the life of Isaac, but there was no way in Abraham's lifetime that he would ever be able to see all of God's promises come to fruition.  God's plan needed to span the time of mankind, not just one man. 

How blessed Abraham was to be let in on this plan and promise!

"God is gracious enough to make promises, and he always keeps the promise he makes.  He is a God of steadfast love and faithfulness.  This is not to say that he always fulfills his promises immediately.  Abraham and Sarah died in faith...that is, although Isaac was born to them in fulfillment of the promise, their seed was not yet numerous, nor was the land given to them, nor were the nations blessed.  All God's promises come true, but they are inherited 'through faith and patience.'  We have to be content to wait for God's time."  John Stott

Will we be content to wait on God's promise even when we are on our death bed?   Will we be people who choose to die in faith?  It is the patience part that is so hard.  When God reveals to your heart the way something could be, we wonder why He doesn't just do it already! 

And yet His timing is never what we think it should be.

At the end of last year, I pulled out an old prayer journal.  4 years old.  I was struck at how many of the prayers still make an appearance in my soul and utterances to God.  4 years praying for things that should be for His glory.  Where has He been these 4 years?  

And then I came across a prayer.  One that God answered at the end of last year.  One that God has been orchestrating an answer to for longer than 4 years.  But, the timing was right.  A little detour through the wilderness was necessary, but He has been faithful.

He is El Roi.  He sees your plight and your fears.  He is Jehovah Tsidkenu.  He will do what is right and holy in your life.  He is the Covenant God.  What He promises, He will indeed fulfill.  In His time.

Today, we choose belief, Lord.  Today we choose faith.  Today we choose patience.

"Absolutely everything, ranging from small to large, as you make it a part of your believing prayer, gets included as you lay hold of God."  Matthew 21:21-22  {the Message}