The Desert” by Jim Reimann. This reading really hit home with me, so I thought I would share it with all of you.
After forty years had passed, an
angel appeared to Moses in the flames of a burning bush in the desert near
Mount Sinai……Then the Lord said to him, “I have indeed seen the oppression of
my people in Egypt. I have heard their groaning and have come down to set them
free. Now come, I will send you back to Egypt.” Forty years was a long time to
wait in preparation for a great mission. Yet when God delays, He is not
inactive. This is when He prepares His instruments and matures our strength.
Then at the appointed time we will rise up and be equal to our task. Even Jesus
of Nazareth had thirty years of privacy, growing in wisdom before He began His
work.
God is never in a hurry. He
spends years preparing those He plans to greatly use, and never thinks of the
days of preparation as being too long or boring.
The most difficult ingredient of
suffering is often time. A short, sharp pain is easily endured, but when a
sorrow drags on its long and weary way year after monotonous year, returning
day after day with the same dull routine of hopeless agony, the heart loses its
strength. Without the grace of God, the heart is sure to sink into dismal
despair.
Joseph endured a long trial, and
God often has to burn the lessons he learned into the depths of our being,
using the fires of prolonged pain. “He will sit as a refiner and purifier of
silver”. (Mal.3:3) Yet, He knows the specific amount of time that will be
needed.Like a true goldsmith, God stops the fire the moment He sees His image
in the glowing metal.
Today we may be unable to see the
final outcome of the beautiful plan God has hidden “in the shadow of His hand”
(Isa.49:2) It may be concealed for a very long time, but our faith may rest on
the assurance that God is still seated on His throne. Because of this assurance
we can calmly await the time when, in heavenly delight we will say “All things
have worked together for good.” (Rom.8:28)
As Joseph did, we should be more
careful to focus on learning the lessons in the school of sorrow than to focus
anxious eyes on the time of our deliverance. There is a reason behind every
lesson, and when we are ready, our deliverance will definitely come. Then we
will know we could have never served in our place of higher service without
having been taught the very things we learned during our ordeal. God is in the
process of educating us for future service and greater blessings. And if we
have gained the qualities that make us ready for a throne, nothing will keep us
from it once His timing is right.
Don’t steal tomorrow from God’s
hands. Give Him time to speak to you and reveal His will. He is never late –
learn to wait.
He never shows up late; He knows what is best.
Fret not yourself in vain, until He comes, just rest.
Never run impulsively ahead of
the Lord. Learn to await His timing – the second, minute, and hour hand must
all point to the precise moment for action.
I have been doing very well these
past weeks. I am on an increased dose of medicine to prevent seizures, and have
been feeling pretty good. God has truly Blessed us on this journey. We try to
take each day as the gift that it truly is, and have been doing well to date.
Only 19 days to Matt and Jen’s wedding date! If God wills it, I will make that
in good enough shape to enjoy the event to the fullest with all of our family.
I just have to remember not to run ahead of God and let His plans play out for
all of us. God Bless all of you and thank you for your continued prayers and
support!
Yesterday is History, tomorrow is a
mystery, today is a gift – that is why they call it the present.
