FAITH UNDER TRIAL
 |
| © CreationSwap | Megan Isaacson 2012 |
In Luke 18:8, Jesus issues a question. When He comes, will he “really find faith in the earth?” While people can declare they have faith only when faith has been tried can one truly know that the faith proclaimed is for real.
Our faith shall be tested. It has to undergo the fire to determine its genuineness because God is looking for genuine faith. And faith that is real is precious in the eyes of God. It is more precious than gold. This is the kind of faith that brings praise, honor and glory to God.
1 Peter 1:7Today we shall look at two examples of faith that were tested by trials and have prevailed.
That the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,
Amram and Jochebed
The parents of Moses were included in the list of the men and women of faith in Hebrews 11. They are beautiful examples of faith under trial.
The Worst of Times
Exodus 1:22At the time this took place, there was an immense danger on Hebrew baby boys. The Pharaoh ordered all male babies born to be cast into the river. It must have also meant grave consequences for those who disobeyed. It was the worst hour for a baby boy to be born. Yet, this was the very time, God chose to birth a man of destiny.
So Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, “Every son who is born you shall cast into the river, and every daughter you shall save alive.”
Sometimes we think our trials come at the worst hour. We think we could have handled it better if it happened at a different time. Sometimes trials come at a time when we have very little strength. Sometimes new trials come at a time we already have other ongoing trials. Sometimes we think if only it came at this time when I am better prepared.
Even the timing of difficulties is God-ordained. Trying times have a work in us to accomplish.
Hebrews 11:23It was in this very grim hour that Moses' parents faith arose. Great faith certainly rises up in times of great darkness. Their faith gave them the courage to not give in to the evil command of the Pharaoh. We live in a time of growing darkness and the prince of the world is putting the pressure on the saints to succumb to the darkness. But may the season of great darkness be an occasion for great faith to arise.
By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king's command.
This same great faith of Jochebed made her release Moses to the river after three months.
The Worst of Places
Exodus 2:3She took an ark of bulrushes, daubed it with asphalt and pitch and placed young Moses there. It is interesting that Moses was taken to the river exactly where other male babies were commanded to be cast. It was however meant to be for their death but for him it led to life.
But when she could no longer hide him, she took an ark of bulrushes for him, daubed it with asphalt and pitch, put the child in it, and laid it in the reeds by the river's bank.
The river should have been the place where hope and future were to be shattered for these young baby boys. However, for the child of a man and woman of faith, the place of the end of life became the place of the beginning of destiny. To those who walk in faith, the most treacherous of paths do not shatter destinies instead they build them. If you are in such a place today, be encouraged.
She did not simply throw him in the water to die. She had faith, he will survive. Thus, she prepared an ark for him. It was described to have been made of bulrushes and daubed with asphalt and pitch. Bulrushes was a kind of reed that was sturdy. The kind of material used as well as the effort to cover it with asphalt and pitch meant Jochebed was intending to keep the child alive.
When Jochebed laid Moses in the river she did not know what would become of him. The future of her son was uncertain. But she must have believed it could turn out well. She must have believed that her son would be delivered from danger. Otherwise, why even prepare a durable ark for him?
What brought about such faith in Jochebed? We are told in Hebrews 12 that Amram and Jochebed kept Moses because he was a beautiful child. One of the things that really builds faith in difficult trials is vision. They knew that God had a plan on young Moses’ life that kept them from simply giving him up to the difficult circumstance. With faith we could hold on to the end of the matter even if we do not understand how it will come to pass.
Moses' name which means drawn out of the water speaks of his identity. That very water from which he was drawn was a place of death. Thus, he was delivered from death and he would have the same calling, a deliverer of those who were sentenced to death and slavery, the Israelites.
The Worst of Company
As Moses was left there in the river bank, the Pharaoh's daughter arrived. It was her father who gave the command that put young Moses' life in danger. She recognised who he was. It would have not been surprising therefore, being the Pharaoh's daughter that she would have staunchly adhered to her father's edict and commanded death for baby Moses.
But the amazing thing is she did not. She who should have obeyed her father's command chose to violate it for Moses' sake. And not only did she spare Moses' life but she even became the very means by which Moses would gain entry to the place of his preparation nowhere less than the Pharaoh's court.
The very place where the command to take his life was issued became his dwelling and training ground. The very man who ordered his death became his provider and benefactor.
How high are the ways and thoughts of the Lord to those who live in faith.
Sometimes our trials are brought about by people, adversaries. Yet, to those who have faith, God uses even their adversaries, those responsible for their difficulty to be the channel of blessing (Bailey 42). Always remember that God is in control even over our enemies.
Ecclesiastes 2:26
For God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy to a man who is good in His sight; but to the sinner He gives the work of gathering and collecting, that he may give to him who is good before God. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind.
Jeremiah
Faith in the Promises of God
Jeremiah 32:15God gave this very beautiful promise to Jeremiah that the people of Israel will one day possess their land once more. However, this promise seemed next to impossible because God declared it at a time that Israel was being taken over by the Chaldeans.
For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: “Houses and fields and vineyards shall be possessed again in this land.”
Jeremiah 32:3-5
For Zedekiah king of Judah had shut him up, saying, “Why do you prophesy and say, “Thus says the Lord: “Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall take it; and Zedekiah king of Judah shall not escape from the hand of the Chaldeans, but shall surely be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon, and shall speak with him face to face, and see him eye to eye; then he shall lead Zedekiah to Babylon, and there he shall be until I visit him,” says the Lord; “though you fight with the Chaldeans, you shall not succeed” ’?”
The situation was going the opposite direction. Rather than possessing the land, it was being snatched from the Israelites’ hands.
We need to realize that God's promises are such that their fulfillment is not dependent on how favorable circumstances are. Situations may even make the promises of God impossible to be fulfilled. And this makes it a challenge for man to believe because what God asks for goes against human understanding.
And in this moment God did not only ask Jeremiah to hear the promise, He commanded Jeremiah to put his stake on that promise by obeying an instruction of the Lord.
Jeremiah 32:6-7God told Jeremiah to buy land. He was being made to buy land at a time it was being taken away from them. God asks us to do the same. He does not only want us to be hearers of promises but firm believers of them.
And Jeremiah said, “The word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Behold, Hanamel the son of Shallum your uncle will come to you, saying, ‘Buy my field which is in Anathoth, for the right of redemption is yours to buy it.” '
He does not desire us to be fence sitters with His Word. He wants us to lay hold of the Word. Those to whom God has given promises, God is calling us to buy the land. Buying the land meant Jeremiah trusted in the Word of God. He was not taking it as a "just in case" it happens kind of thing. He was not non-committal. He was resolute that he will believe. This is faith.
How could Jeremiah obey God and buy land even when God’s instruction contradicted the situation? He had faith in the power of God to overcome circumstances. He declared:
Jeremiah 32:17
‘Ah, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You.Indeed, nothing is too hard for the Lord. Then in verses 20-22, he recounted how the Lord in times past overcame the Egyptians so that the Jews can be set free and brought to their own land. He believed that just as God was able to deliver them from their enemies before, He could certainly deliver them again. One of the keys that truly increases our faith is bringing to mind God’s former goodness to us.
Jeremiah 32:20-22
20 You have set signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, to this day, and in Israel and among other men; and You have made Yourself a name, as it is this day. 21 You have brought Your people Israel out of the land of Egypt with signs and wonders, with a strong hand and an outstretched arm, and with great terror;22 You have given them this land, of which You swore to their fathers to give them—“a land flowing with milk and honey.”
This passage in Jeremiah 32 is actually entitled "Jeremiah Prays for Understanding." In verse 25, we are made to realize that he prayed for understanding because he must have struggled to understand why God would tell him to buy land when the Chaldeans are taking over the land anyway.
Jeremiah 32:25
25 And You have said to me, O Lord God, “Buy the field for money, and take witnesses”!—yet the city has been given into the hand of the Chaldeans.’”
So often people operate on a mindset of "I need to understand first before I obey God" yet what God desires is that we obey first then we shall fully understand. This gives space for faith. If we knew how everything will turn out step by step then there will be no need for faith.
But for Jeremiah, he first stepped in faith to buy the land and he professed his faith in God. Then after that act of faith, the Lord gave him understanding of His thoughts when He answered him in the next verses:
Jeremiah 32:26-27
26 Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying, 27 “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?"
In verses 26-44, God details His plan to Jeremiah on everything that's going to happen. God tells him how the Israelites will be taken over, why the Israelites are being taken into captivity, and what He's going to do next.
But for Jeremiah, he first stepped in faith to buy the land and he professed his faith in God. Then after that act of faith, the Lord gave him understanding of His thoughts when He answered him in the next verses:
Jeremiah 32:26-27
26 Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying, 27 “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?"
In verses 26-44, God details His plan to Jeremiah on everything that's going to happen. God tells him how the Israelites will be taken over, why the Israelites are being taken into captivity, and what He's going to do next.
Jeremiah 32:37, 42-44
37 Behold, I will gather them out of all countries where I have driven them in My anger, in My fury, and in great wrath; I will bring them back to this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely.
42 “For thus says the Lord: ‘Just as I have brought all this great calamity on this people, so I will bring on them all the good that I have promised them. 43 And fields will be bought in this land of which you say, “It is desolate, without man or beast; it has been given into the hand of the Chaldeans.” 44 Men will buy fields for money, sign deeds and seal them, and take witnesses, in the land of Benjamin, in the places around Jerusalem, in the cities of Judah, in the cities of the mountains, in the cities of the lowland, and in the cities of the South; for I will cause their captives to return,’ says the Lord.”
Moreover, God revealed His very heart to Jeremiah. God promised that not only will He bring back the people to their land, but that He will also change their hearts to become hearts that will run after God.
Jeremiah 32:40-41
40 And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from doing them good; but I will put My fear in their hearts so that they will not depart from Me. 41 Yes, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will assuredly plant them in this land, with all My heart and with all My soul.’
True enough, when the captives were brought back to their land, never again did they dabble in idolatry. They become a nation that worshipped the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Idolatry was no longer the main issue in Israel because God changed their hearts.
May this be an encouragement to us to believe that God holds our future and that He can change our hearts. And so, in our seemingly impossible circumstances, may true faith arise in us to believe in God when He tells us: "is there anything too hard for Me?"
Work Cited:
Bailey, Brian. The Journey A Quest for Christian Maturity. Singapore: Cornerstone Resources, 2002. Print.
Comments
Post a Comment
Thanks for your comment! God bless you.