Sunday, November 23, 2008

Tick Tock...Tick Tock


Today, in a series for women, our pastor touched on God's timing and us being willing to surrender, to submit that. It got my wheels turning on the time limits we put on God and the time limits we put on our BELIEF. Pastor referenced Sarah and Abraham and how long Sarah had prayed and asked for a child, probably as early as her twenties. Sarah most likely prayed for decades for a child. SHE WAS 90 when God told her she would have a son!!! Do you think there was some slight disBELIEF there??!!! DUH!! The bible says she laughed. I've made that sarcastic "ha ha", how about you? By human standards, she had every right not to BELIEVE at that point.




So, if Holy Spirit has laid something on our heart to believe in, what's the time limit? When do we start tapping our watch, look toward heaven and say "Allright God. Time's almost up!!" We've all been there. We've all come to points where we had our own time frame for what God asked us to believe for or for what we've asked God to do. We've all looked at circumstances, days, months and years later and thought, "God just isn't going to show up" or "I don't have it in me to believe for this anymore". We all have that friend or loved one that we are believing for to be saved. We've all had a situation or circumstance that drags on, that wears on our faith and dashes our hopes. It is then when we must ask for a renewing of our belief, a restoring of our faith.




Romans 4:18 says, "Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations...". My brother and I were talking the other afternoon, discussing what God had been showing him during his Bible study time. He said that very clearly God had him to write down, "Hope is evident". That drew my memory back to a verse that I had written down and pinned on a small slip of paper on the bulletin board in my office. I had written down the first seven words of Romans 4:18 over 3 years ago. I had completely forgotten about that verse written on a little scrap. EVIDENCE! Cofirmation! Renewed belief and restored hope! It's those small notes, tiny jottings down, momentary snipits that don't let the clock run out on our faith.




A dear friend of mine BELIEVED that her husband would come to the Lord for over three years. She had an unwavering faith, a rock solid belief. God had let her know that her husband would surrender his heart to Jesus. I watched her stand on that BELIEF when it seemed ridiculous. He did come back to the Lord and passed away shortly thereafter. Watching this friend has served as a memory that "shores up" my faith at times when I want to doubt. Who do you know that has exhibited such audacious belief? I would suggest writing that person's name down or even a short memory of the situation that you can quickly turn to at those times when your ladder of belief is feeling a bit shaky.




I have two things that I am believing for right now. Do I want to get out a megaphone and yell toward the clouds, "TICK TOCK...TICK TOCK....GOD!!" Sometimes. Will I give up on God's timing? Never.

6 comments:

sailorcross said...

Hi Laura!!

I was visiting at Kay's and decided to stop by and visit you!! And I'm glad I did. I read all of your posts, and they are encouraging to me.

All 3 of my adult children are nonbelievers, and I'm waiting patiently for God to bring them to Him--what a day of celebration that will be!!

Do I sometimes become impatient, wanting this NOW?? Yes, I do. But, I know that God's timing is perfect. He waited patiently for me to come to Him--at just the right time when I had nowhere to go except to Him.

I hope that my children don't have to suffer as I did in order to accept God's love for them.

So, I live my life with as much as a Christ-like attitude that I can--knowing that they have seen and will continue to see changes in me and they know the reason why--Jesus.

Blessings to you in your new venture! Stop by and visit me if you have a chance.

I have two blogs--warmHarte--mainly my everyday stuff--knitting and such and "The Power of Your Love"--I'm currently doing a "Love Dare" for my children there.

Beth

Kay Martin said...

Timing...ouch, you hit that "patience" character quality. You wrote, "Allright God. Time's almost up!!" We've all been there. " I've had many of those seasons and I find I must come to trust God, no matter what, because ultimately all will be fine; in this world or beyond.

Truly Jesus is enough...I get stretched at moments on this one, but He is the only one that is always faithful to be Love and to be faithful.

You got me thinking...I like that.

Kelly said...

I'm am visiting from Kays. Welcome to the world of blogging! You will soon find it addictive. I have been embraced by such a wonderful group of Christian women I know call friends. I would have never believed it.

I hope you too will be blessed beyond belief! Welcome to the Internet!

Kay Martin said...

Welcome to the blogosphere. You've been tagged. Check it out over at Thrive Christians.

Red Letter Believers said...

"Tapping your watch, waiting on God" - great imagery. I wonder if I'll ever really wait on him?

Thanks for the post -- got here through Thrive
David
www.redletterbelievers.com

photo lady said...

Hi Laura, This was wonderful! It felt as if we were at one of our former sessions with Kay. You really have the gift like Kay. Keep it up! Loving you, Elaine