“Then He said to him, “I am the Lord, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to inherit it.” And he said, “Lord God, how shall I know that I will inherit it?”
Genesis 15:7-8
What we read in this dialogue between God and Abram is so very relevant to prayer in the life of the believer. The promises of God get revealed in some unique way: a verse, a song, or a bumper sticker, and somehow you learn about God’s love and promise for your life. Then in the midst of your present situation you try to apply the promise to your life. You pray and ponder, “Can this be for me?”
Like Abram we want to see results, we want to know if we can count on God. After the let down of not being able to have a son, Abram was sick of disappointments. He was hearing the good news and wondering if it would hold water.
Sound familiar?
The fact is God is good for every promise He makes. He proclaims to us that “He is not a man that He can lie” and “In Him is no variation”.
When evidence of the promise is a long time coming it isn’t because God forgot, or that He’s not able to deliver, it’s because our timing isn’t God’s timing. Notice when He promises to “work things together for Good” in Romans 8:28 Paul states the words, “according to His purposes”. God times the results and answers and arrivals of His promises in our lives “according to His purpose” so that things will “work for our good”.
One thing we must understand is that everything is in process…and processes take time. I believe those people who get a firm hold on this paradigm will be those who are less discouraged, disappointed, and disillusioned. Instead they will be diligent in their prayer, determined in their vision, and dynamic in their faith. Faith is a process, our growing closer to the Lord is a process, and learning to hear God’s promises and trust them like they’ve already happened is a process that God is bringing each of His children through.
“It takes time for God to color a rose or to grow a great oak tree. And it takes time for Him to make bread from wheat fields. He takes the soil, then grinds and softens it. He enriches it and wets it with rain showers and with dew. Then He brings the warmth of life to the small blade of grass, later grows the stalk and the amber grain, and finally provides bread for the hungry. All this takes time. Therefore we sow the seed, till the ground, and then wait and trust until God’s purpose has been fulfilled.”
J.H.M, streams in the desert pgs.160-161
“Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.”
James 5:7-8
