Dear Diary,
Don’t settle for less what God has intended for you. God is infinite in power and faithful to do what He has said He will do.
Did someone say God’s delay is not necessarily denial? Oh diary, thank you for being kind to me. You always let me scribble in your pages my heart and you never complain. So, do you remember when I was a teen, I so wanted to get quite a number of things by my mid and late 20’s. You know, things like a hubby, 3 children, a busy bank account, a mansion, pets, LOL! My dreams are still valid though not for pets. Now, am in my third floor and some of these things are distant. Sometimes the neon lights of shortcut streets are very appealing though not more than what God can give in His time. I know from experience that long wait can make one vulnerable to frustrations and act in the flesh. Even when you are sure about God’s will for your life, it can be difficult to maintain patience. Listen, just like me, you have been waiting in God for something. Maybe, He spoke to you about it. But now, it feels like you have waited long enough; bouts of disbelief keep knocking at the door of your heart; maybe you already have plan B to speed up the fulfillment of the promise, DON”T take the shortcut, it'll backfire on you!
These past few days I have been journeying through the book of Genesis and it’s been very enlightening and inspiring. Uncle Abe’s experiences spoke to me in Genesis 12-18. So, in Genesis 12:1, God calls Abe to leave his country, people, and father’s household to the land God would show him. At age 75, uncle Abe stepped out in faith and obedience, v.4. God promised to give Uncle Abe’s offspring the land of Canaan forever. He also promised to make his offspring like dust of the earth, i.e. countless,” Gen 12:7; 13:15-16.
Years went and it seems the promise was distant away. But God came again to uncle Abe telling him, “Don’t be afraid. I am your shield and very great reward,” Gen 15:1. But this time Uncle Abe needed something more tangible rather than just a mere promise, so he said to God, “Sovereign LORD, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who’ll inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus? You’ve given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir,” v.2-3. The Sovereign Lord assured uncle Abe that a son, his own flesh and blood will be his heir. He went ahead to assure him that his offspring will in fact be like stars in the sky, countless, v.4-5. At that uncle Abe believed God, something that made him credited for righteousness, v.6.
Ten years later, nothing had happened. Hope was lost and so mom Sarai came up with an impressive idea, a surrogate mother for Abe’s child! This attempt to influence God’s fulfilment of the promise brought unforeseen strife. It became a source of contempt, pride, jealousy and blame, Genesis 16:1-16. At age 86, baby Ishmael was born to uncle Abe. But Ishmael wasn’t the son of promise.
After the rendezvous affair with Hagar; when Ishmael was 13yrs old, God graciously visited Uncle Abe, promising to honor His promise. He commanded him to walk before God and be blameless then He’d make a covenant with him, Gen. 17:1. God proceeded to affirm His promise of a son, “I will bless Sarah, (your wife) and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her,” v. 16. At this uncle had to cynically laugh, “Will a son be born to a man a hundred years? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?” v. 17. Seemingly, there was no hope, uncle Abe had built his hopes in Ishmael, and prayed that he might live under God’s blessing, v.18. God granted the request but made it clear that Ishmael wasn’t the one He’d establish a covenant with. He gave him assurance that Sarah would bear a son, his name would be Isaac. He’d be the one God would establish a covenant with, v.19.
Believe it or not, God wasn’t kidding! At 100yrs, God made uncle Abe a father to a baby boy, Gen. 21:1. That's precisely a 25 year wait! The bible states clearly that Sarah was past the child-bearing age, Gen 17:1. But who is God? Didn’t He introduce Himself to Abraham as the El-Shaddai, the one who is infinite in power? What is too difficult for Him? Gen. 17:1; 18:14.
You might be experiencing temporary spells of disbelief; I hereby want to encourage you not to take any shortcut. Ask God to renew your faith. It is also possible you have settled for less what God intends for you: maybe your circumstances are making you limit God. Listen, God is infinite in power and He is faithful to fulfill what He has promised, just walk before Him and be blameless as well as be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Walking before God and being found blameless requires faith, faithful obedience, perseverance and integrity.
Yours faithful scribbler,
NzakuNashipae.
NzakuNashipae.
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