Before we get into today's lesson, I wanted let you know that I will not be writing next week. I am taking some time off from the blog so I may work on a website. I am very excited about it. It will have the Choices Study, workout videos, photos of organization ideas and mp3 downloads of the study.
Please keep choosing God, exercise, rest and sticking to your schedule. I would encourage you to keep refreshing by Spring cleaning the bathrooms and spend time with God outdoors.
Now I am going to give you something to think on and study over the next week. My only request is that you put aside anything you have been taught and truly look for answers in God's Word over this next week. And I would love to hear your thoughts on it.
My question is: who is the crazy one, the person who has faith in God, no matter what reality they may be facing, or the person who has faith in God, just not enough to think God will perform an outrageous miracle?
Here is my example:
A man suffers a stroke leaving him bed ridden. His health has many complications over the next ten years. And at one point he is even put on hospice. His wife believes that the the Lord told her one day God would heal him. Even as he goes on hospice, she still believes God can and will heal him. (This is a Godly woman who has made God a priority in her life. She finds time for God no matter what trial she may be facing. she has a close, intimate relationship.)
Once he is on hospice, the people of the church start coming to her and telling her she has to give up this dream of him being healed. She is told she needs to face reality.
Is the wife believing God can and will perform a miracle crazy or are the people saying God cannot perform a miracle, it is too late, crazy? Or is there a middle ground that makes more sense?
Currently, I am searching God's word for this answer. I know the people on both sides of this story. Neither side would I consider ungodly or far from God. I respect both sides very much as a person. But these people read the same Bible and worship and love the same God. How can their faith be so different?
When there seems tobe no hope for a marriage, an illness, a rebellious child or a lost soul, can it be too late for God to step in and perform a miracle? We know death was not too late for Jesus to step in and perform a miracle. 99 years old was not too late for Abraham to have a child. Even after Saul killed those following Christ, Jesus changed his life and generations have read his words. But then some argue that those miracles are not for today's world.
David is another example I keep studying. As his child was ill and dying, he fasted and prayed. He had faith God could save his child's life. But that time God chose not to perform a miracle. David had faith but when the answer was no, he accepted it. Should we hold on to faith and hope in God for a miracle until He answers us instead of just holding on to faith until reality tells us it is too late?
Any Christian I know would say they have faith in God and believe in miracles. But they tend to struggle that God would perform that miracle in their life or they lose faith once the doctor report comes back or after a certain amount of time has gone by. I am guilty of it myself.
Do I, do you, truly choose to believe God? Are we putting a limit, time frame on His power and works? Or are we suppose to believe reality?
I have some of my own answers. But I am not going to share them yet. You look for answers and seek wisdom and discernment from God. Maybe right now there is something in your life where you have no more hope. Does God want you to hold on and hope a little longer?
I love you and pray God reveals who He is and what He can and will do for you. Have a blessed, refreshing, renewing weekend and week with God.
(P.S. The man who was on hospice is no longer on hospice. And for the first time in three years, a therapist took him outside in his chair for 20 minutes. Praise God!)
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20samuel%2012:15-23&version=NIV
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=gen%2018:10-15&version=NIV
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=gen%2021:1-7&version=NIV
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