‹ Back

Jun 15, 2021

 

The book of Ecclesiastes chapter 3 tells us, “To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven.” Our addition to the list of countering times could include a time to teach, a time to be taught; a time give, a time to receive; a time to impart and a time to learn. We are most assuredly in a season of learning, in both the physical and the spiritual sense.

 

One of the many precious things about the word of God is that those of us who came after are given the opportunity to learn from those who walked before. I treasure in my heart and spirit the gift that we have been given in the countless stories found within the Bible of those who were called and the journeys they took. We find those like Abraham who were called to a new land (Genesis 12) and to whom God made a great promise regarding the generational blessing that would come because of his faithfulness. Beyond that however we are fortunate in that we also get to see how Abraham waivered a bit along the way and yet he believed, and his belief was credited to him as righteousness (Romans 4). We also have the benefit of learning from those like the Israelites, who even after being set free from captivity, grumbled, and questioned the moment they faced the slightest tribulation (Exodus). I am thankful for the gift of these accounts because they not only help us see that those who are called are also human but more so, because they serve as a beacon for me when facing tribulations. You see, I believe that the enemy is not omniscient (all knowing) as God is, but he does know what he sees so he makes attempts and watches for a response. When we respond in a manner such as the Israelites, he finds a foothold and tries chipping away at that, but when we respond as Abraham did or even Mary he encounters the power of the living God within us and the Bible tells us in James chapter 4 verse 7 that when we “resist the devil he will flee from us.” And so, these stories allow us the knowledge that even in the face of adversities “greater is He that is in us than He that is in this world” (1 John4:4), and that is a gift. That is what brings about for us a spiritual perspective in all things which in turn opens the flood gates of heaven, along with our spiritual eyes, and allows us to see the miracles of God at work all around us.

 

Want an example? Last weekend Bobby suffered an injury to his hand. After a trip to the ER and two follow up opinions, three doctors said surgery was necessary due to tendon damage, and so on Tuesday surgery was scheduled for Thursday. That night he and I prayed that if God desired to heal him through a surgeon that He would direct his hands, but if He desired to display His power and heal him miraculously then we believed He could. We further asked that if this be the will that when the surgeons went in to perform surgery, they would find that the great physician had already done the work. In addition to this, the hand injury had also led him to a surgeon who told him that there was a procedure that could be done to repair a problem that his cancer treatments had left within his hands and that he could do that on the same day, and so we thanked God for allowing “beauty to come from ashes” (Isaiah 61:3). Fast forward to Thursday. After the completion of the surgery the surgeon came out to give Amanda the report. He informed her that they had performed the procedure to remedy the effects of his chemo and then stated, “Funny thing is, when we went in to do the surgery there was absolutely no damage to the tendon, so we cleaned it up and closed it up.” What he didn’t mention, because he didn’t realize, was that he also just delivered a message directly from God that once again strengthened our faith and affirmed that we are covered in all circumstances.

 

As I type this tonight, I could share yet another miraculous story from today of how the maker of heaven and earth covers those He calls from all harm, but I will save that for another day.

Until then, peace to you and your household. May the Spirit fall fresh and anew on you and yours and may He flood the earth with his latter rain (Hosea 6:3).

 

~ Jen