nebula Posted December 5, 2009 Group: Royal Member Followers: 10 Topic Count: 5,823 Topics Per Day: 0.76 Content Count: 45,870 Content Per Day: 5.95 Reputation: 1,897 Days Won: 83 Joined: 03/22/2003 Status: Offline Birthday: 11/19/1970 Share Posted December 5, 2009 As I've been thinking about my life and situations I've been going through, I began thinking about the Israelites in Egypt. I thought about the people crying out to the Lord for deliverance when the Pharoah made them slaves. . . and the answer didn't come for about 80 years. But not exactly. The answer came early on, it's just that the answer was the birth of a baby! But how were the people to know that? The Lord has heard your cry and has created for you a deliverer. And if they did know that, could they fathom having to wait . . . and wait . . . and wait for that deliverer to be raised and trained and prepared for his calling? The Lord has heard your cry and has created for you a deliverer. But he won't be delivering you today . . . or tomorrow . . . or next week . . . or next year . . . or next decade. . . . 80 years! 80 years of waiting and praying and falling into discouragement and wondering why bother with faith and trying to trust. And during that time, people died. Have you ever considered that? How many of those who first cried out to the Lord never lived to see the fulfillment of those prayers? Your deliverer is coming. . . but it won't be in your lifetime. Now I know Miriam being a prophetess had been prophesying deliverance to the people, but what did she say? Was she able to explain to the people why they had to wait? Or if she could, could or would the people understand and/or accept this? Would you? Would I? I'm sure like us they would want freedom now, if not yesterday! But no, your job is to raise your children and grandchildren to enter freedom . . . although you may never see it. Who of us would accept this kind of humility? To say, yes Lord, I am Your servant; deal with me as you please, even in slavery. Do we know what it truly means to wait upon the Lord? Do we trust and hope in Him even when the circumstances don't seem like the Lord has answered our prayer? So how many times have we marveled at how stiff necked and stubborn the Israelites could be? Moses comes and tells the people the Lord sent him to deliver them from Egypt. Hallelujah! Finally!!!! But instead of being freed the next day, pharaoh makes them work even harder! 6 So the same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters over the people and their foremen, saying, 7 "You are no longer to give the people straw to make brick as previously ; let them go and gather straw for themselves. 8 "But the quota of bricks which they were making previously, you shall impose on them; you are not to reduce any of it. Because they are lazy, therefore they cry out, 'Let us go and sacrifice to our God.' 9 "Let the labor be heavier on the men, and let them work at it so that they will pay no attention to false words." (Ex. 5) Ever wonder why the people had such a lack of faith that they responded by blaming Moses for their trouble? But are we not the same? When hope is discouraged, do we respond with praise? Or do we gripe, complain, demand God explain to us what He's doing? Have you been given a promise form the Lord, and instead of victory you face defeat? There is a story in Judges like that. (Judges 20) The Benjaminites were guilty of a very grievous evil, and the rest of the tribes gathered to war against them. But before entering battle, they asked the Lord if they should fight their brother Benjamin. The Lord said, "Go." So they went . . . and lost! Not once, but twice! Huh???!! Why would the Lord say, "Go," only to be defeated . . . and they were in the side of right! What gives? Am I striking a chord with anyone? I mean, can you relate somehow? But yet there are no answers. Only a question: "Will you trust Me, even in defeat?" The promise of Isaiah 40:31 is that it is only in waiting on the Lord - hopefully expecting in Him - that we can soar like eagles, run without weariness, walk without fainting. I think of a song by Rich Mullins, wrestling with similar struggles, and finding the conclusion, "Until I'm lost enough to let myself be led". Oh, we like our comfort, we like our strength. But we don't like being broken. Yet breaking us is the only way to free us. May we find the strength to embrace the daily cross (dying to self) we must carry. So be it, Lord. Amen. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pinkfrogfreak Posted December 5, 2009 Group: Members Followers: 1 Topic Count: 5 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 18 Content Per Day: 0.00 Reputation: 1 Days Won: 0 Joined: 10/13/2007 Status: Offline Birthday: 04/04/1986 Share Posted December 5, 2009 WOW! I personally have truly never looked at it n that perspective. Sure opened my eyes. Ty Nebula....ty Jesus! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunterpoet Posted December 5, 2009 Group: Removed from Forums for Breaking Terms of Service Followers: 0 Topic Count: 128 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 2,704 Content Per Day: 0.44 Reputation: 25 Days Won: 1 Joined: 05/29/2007 Status: Offline Birthday: 10/08/1950 Share Posted December 5, 2009 A very good and thought provoking post. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
traveller Posted December 5, 2009 Group: Royal Member Followers: 5 Topic Count: 827 Topics Per Day: 0.10 Content Count: 12,101 Content Per Day: 1.50 Reputation: 249 Days Won: 3 Joined: 04/01/2002 Status: Offline Share Posted December 5, 2009 amen Neb! Excelllent word!! It makes me think of Joseph. Gen 50:25 And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence. Exd 13:19 And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him: for he had straitly sworn the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you; and ye shall carry up my bones away hence with you. Jos 24:32 And the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt, buried they in Shechem, in a parcel of ground which Jacob bought of the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for an hundred pieces of silver: and it became the inheritance of the children of Joseph. Hbr 11:22 By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones. When Joseph died he and his family were still living in the glory and the riches that were given to them. There was no hardship for him, yet still he looked forward to a promised land. Still he said by faith, "God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here." Joseph died knowing that Egypt was not that place, but he had faith that the time would someday come. We must all take heart that God will do that which He says He will. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Believer1997 Posted December 5, 2009 Group: Royal Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 66 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 6,363 Content Per Day: 1.13 Reputation: 119 Days Won: 9 Joined: 11/07/2008 Status: Offline Share Posted December 5, 2009 We've all lived in an 'instant gratification' society for so long - it's hard to imagine people devoting their entire lifetimes to waiting on word from G-d. What absolute faith they had - we all need some of that. Thanks for the post Neb - it's great. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CAP73 Posted December 5, 2009 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 6 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 183 Content Per Day: 0.03 Reputation: 32 Days Won: 0 Joined: 12/22/2007 Status: Offline Share Posted December 5, 2009 Very nice post. We all live in such a fast-paced society and are used to instant gratification. I think that is why so many people struggle with their walks with Christ. We are used to getting things on our schedule; not God's. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CAP73 Posted December 5, 2009 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 6 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 183 Content Per Day: 0.03 Reputation: 32 Days Won: 0 Joined: 12/22/2007 Status: Offline Share Posted December 5, 2009 We've all lived in an 'instant gratification' society for so long - it's hard to imagine people devoting their entire lifetimes to waiting on word from G-d. What absolute faith they had - we all need some of that. Thanks for the post Neb - it's great. Sorry, Believer. I about stole the whole gist of your reply in mine! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JCISGD Posted December 5, 2009 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 64 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 1,345 Content Per Day: 0.24 Reputation: 30 Days Won: 1 Joined: 03/05/2009 Status: Offline Birthday: 04/10/1961 Share Posted December 5, 2009 thanks Nebula, i needed to hear that ive been feeling like those Israelites sometimes. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solman Posted December 5, 2009 Group: Members Followers: 1 Topic Count: 2 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 30 Content Per Day: 0.01 Reputation: 1 Days Won: 0 Joined: 10/01/2008 Status: Offline Birthday: 01/26/1969 Share Posted December 5, 2009 I like the quote " Hope, decieved, deferred, but never extinguished!". 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nebula Posted December 6, 2009 Group: Royal Member Followers: 10 Topic Count: 5,823 Topics Per Day: 0.76 Content Count: 45,870 Content Per Day: 5.95 Reputation: 1,897 Days Won: 83 Joined: 03/22/2003 Status: Offline Birthday: 11/19/1970 Author Share Posted December 6, 2009 Thanks for the responses. I am glad it blessed and ministered to you. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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