One of the hardest things to do is to wait on the Lord to respond during the most difficult times in our lives. Especially being in an American culture where most people do not like waiting or have so much at their fingertips. Long lines, long hold times, or restaurant lines can be frustrating. His sovereign will can be mysterious; for example, Joseph knew his brothers would bow to him, but he had no idea what that meant for his life when he had no power to control anything that took place. Since Joseph believed in God all he could do is wait.
This could be the same for those listed in the ‘The Hall of Faith’ (Hebrews 11; I call ‘The Hall of Hope’). I wonder how they would have felt when they were going through so much and had to wait so long but were so ready when the Lord finally came through. Joseph, betrayed twice, humiliated several times, in much pain (constantly cried when he saw his brothers), waited twelve brutal years but he was so ready to forgive when he saw his brothers and so ready to lead a nation when he was called up by God’s power to serve a nation that to his own people could seem like the worst ever because they eventually became enslaved. But when they had grown to two million people, enriched by the might of Egypt, blessed by a leader named Moses who was trained by the most developed nation, they would dance at the Red Sea when they saw the bodies of their enemies washed up.
Dean Little recently received a letter that had been in the mail for over five (5) years. When he opened the letter, Little found a check for $90.18 inside…. The old envelope caught Little’s eye when it arrived because it had a canceled 32-cent stamp on it. The letter was postmarked on August 24, 1998. No one knows where the letter has been for the past five (5) years……. Little is sales manager for the Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania area Schwan’s ice cream business. He says the letter was from a former customer making a payment on his account. Since the original check was considered lost, the family wrote the company another check settling their account. Little says he remembers calling about the amount owed in 1998 and being told, “The check is in the mail.” He says, “They weren’t lying.” —Associated Press, Payment Was in the Mail, for Five years, January 21, 2004, Submitted by Jim Sandell. Even though we know it is impossible for God to lie (Hebrews 6:18); have you ever felt, based on all the promises the Lord has made that He may have just forgotten about what He said or forgotten us?
Is it that the Lord has forgotten us, don’t do the same miracles, or don’t answer prayers the same or His time is perfect for those, like Joseph who keeps the faith? (Galatians 4:4; Romans 8:28)
