The Season Between

You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised. – (Hebrews 10:36, NIV)

You must be patient. After you have done what God wants, you will get what He promised you. – (Hebrews 10:36, ERV)

You need the strength of endurance to reveal the poetry of God’s will and then you receive the promise in full. – (Hebrews 10:36, TPT)

 

God is faithful forever and His promises are true. The challenge for humanity is that our sense of timing is not the same as He who is the very Creator of time. When we are called to begin to move in a certain direction, as an act of faith, most of us anticipate that after we take the first step, things will suddenly fall into place and become easy. Clearly this is not the case, for the terms persevere, patience, strength and endurance would not be used to describe what it takes to complete the very thing to which we have been called if it was a simple “one-and-done” sort of journey from the promise to its fulfillment. God is faithful to provide the strength that we need to persevere, yet we are the ones who have to make the choice to keep moving in patient persistence in the direction to which we are called. May we choose to persevere in His patient power provided, as the Lord leads us the way that He intends for us to go. For in His time, the fulfillment is well worth the struggle along the way.

 

We must be patient, 

Choose follow the Lord;

Rise up and do right,

Move in one accord.

For in His good time,

The Lord shall fulfill;

His promises made,

As we do His will.

In patient pursuit,

Let us choose endure;

The trials life brings,

For our hope’s secure.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are faithful to fulfill Your promises in Your perfect timing. Thank You that You are patient with us, even though we desire instant gratification as we step out in the direction to which we are called. Forgive us for our lack of faith and trust in spaces that You have spoken promises. Teach us to trust You more, even when we cannot yet see the evidence of Your hand. Show us how to love those around us with faithful endurance, so that they may recognize Your consistent love in and through us. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust in You to provide the patience, endurance and strength that we need to persevere in the season between a promise and its fulfillment. Amen.

 

© Shannon Elizabeth (Moreno) Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

For I have always been mindful of Your unfailing love and have lived in reliance on Your faithfulness. – Psalm 26:3

Anxious for Answers

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. – (Philippians 4:6)

 

God hears our prayers. He knows our heart and is concerned about our every need. The Lord is our provider, yet much of the time, we must move forward toward God in an act of faith, presenting our needs before Him, before we see the blessings of God released. In the book of Matthew, a leper had heard about Jesus and His ability to heal. His desire to be whole was great enough that he was willing to walk forward in faith, risking rejection, because the reward was well worth the potential risk.

 

A man with leprosy came and knelt before Him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, You can make me clean.” Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” He said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cured of his leprosy. – (Matthew 8:2-3)

 

What known need should we present before Christ? He is willing, we simply must come. Jesus goes beyond the hearing and healing, He comes close and touches those who are deemed untouchable, and calls us clean. May we release anxiousness and fear unto Him, and with prayer, petition and thanksgiving, present our every request unto the Lord.

 

Do not be anxious,

in spaces of lack;

but call on the Lord,

who will have our back.

He hears each request,

presented in prayer;

He sees and He knows,

our God always cares.

He knows what is best,

and willingly moves;

to help and to heal,

His faithfulness proves.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that despite how things appear, we need never be anxious nor fearful in You. Thank You that we need only come before You and present our requests unto You. Thank You that You hear our every prayer, and You move on our behalf in the way that You see best. Forgive us for our fearfulness when things don’t go the way we think they ought to, despite Your promised presence. Teach us to trust You more, so that we will believe You are working things out for the best, even when the evidence we see, seems to speak otherwise. Lead us to love others as You so completely love each of us. May many come into a saving relationship with You, Lord. Be exalted O God, as we release our anxieties to You, and present our requests by prayer and petition with thanksgiving before You, trusting that You will move on our behalf in the way that You deem best. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present.

Because of the tender mercy of our God, …the rising sun will come to us from heaven. – Luke 1:78