“I can’t believe after the Lord directed us here and all He did helping us buy this house that now we face the possibility of selling it.” This thought started popping up by the third month after Donna left her position as a nursing instructor at the university in May. Searching every possible source for employment, but no hospital, or college wanted her. By August, we wondered if she was facing age discrimination or had been black listed. Every potential prospect failed. Yet, despite all our temptation to become fearful and panic, God filled us with a deep peace beyond our understanding. I reminded her we had walked this road more times than we could count. The experiences of tribulations and the testing of our faith through the years had produced endurance. The Lord had never disappointed our hope (Ro 5:3, 5 & James 1:3).
The week she would have gone back to her previous teaching position, an online college where she had worked part time, offered her a full-time position. That same week a Christian university in our area, which offers a nursing program called and expressed interest in her helping develop their online nursing program beginning in 2015. Last week she turned down an offer for another job. That’s just like God, after everything we try fails and nothing is left, then He floods us with His blessings. He gave her a job in nursing making an equivalent salary with good health insurance and she works from home—only God.
During this time, we often reminded each other of people in the Bible whose efforts failed. Abram and Sarai most often come to our minds. God promised them a child, but year after year passed with no pregnancy. Scripture suggest they tried by adopting Eliezer their servant, but not God’s plan. Then Hagar, Sarai’s handmaid, became a surrogate mother and birthed Ishmael, but still not God’s plan. When Sari was 90 years old and Abram was 100 years old, having done everything possible, no hope remained. Just like the Lord, He came and told them, now is My time. Isaac was born a year later.
Imagine the thoughts going through the mind of the widow at Zarephath. At some point prior to Elijah’s arrival the Lord commanded her to provide for him. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you (1 Kings 17:9). Yet, she watched the flour in her barrel and the oil in her jug dwindle day after day. Then the morning arrived when only one small meal remained. Maybe she thought as she gathered sticks to cook her and her son’s last meal, “I must been mistaken about hearing the Lord’s command.” So, they would eat and wait to die. Little did she know, the week prior, God directed Elijah to leave the dried up brook of Cherith and go to Zarephath where he would find the widow. When he arrived, he requested she make him a small loaf. Despite being the last of her flour and oil, in obedience, she gave Elijah her last meal. But, just like God, for almost 2½ years, flour and oil remained in her barrel and jug.
My notes contain almost a page of people in the Bible who encountered similar situations after all their efforts failed and then God provided as He had planned before they even encountered difficulties. The Lord taught Israel from the beginning of their journey through the wilderness they must depend on Him. No refrigerator or freezer with a supply of food, no pantry with cans and boxes of dry goods, no grocery, or convenience story down the street, not even MRE’s (Meal Ready to Eat) existed, only God providing enough manna for a day each morning. Wives and mothers did not need to fret and worry about tomorrow’s food because God promised to provide each day and He did for forty years. Sheep cannot always see the lush green pastures beside quiet waters where the Shepherd is leading. They must learn to trust and rest in His guidance.
God’s desire for us to trust in Him has not changed. He still promises to guide us and provide for us. Most of us, especially in the Western world, have learned to depend on a good job, a savings account, a portfolio of growing stocks, educational abilities, etc. etc. However, God wants us to place our faith totally in Him. This often requires a lifetime of unlearning and relearning through the Bible and through the experiences He leads us through. When I enrolled in college, I knew the day of graduation would come and I would no longer face test and exams. I use to hope we reached a point in life when we would not experience times like this year. Then, I am reminded we have not graduated yet. Will we face more times that test our faith? I am sure we will, but once again just like God, He will not disappoint our hope and our endurance will continue growing.
Sustaining Word for the Week: If all you have done, has failed, just like God directed Elijah to the widow’s house the week before her final meal, He has already set in motion the solution for this moment in your life.