ANCHOR SCRIPTURE:
“2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.”(James 1:2-3)
WHEN ABRAM TOOK SARAI AS WIFE, they were like every other newly married couple, expectant of happy and blissful life together.
Even though the Bible doesn’t tell us, we can safely assume that they married when Abram was 30 and Sarai 20; if not even earlier, since heathen youths married early in those ancient times. And they were both pagans then.
But 45 years after, when God called Abram to leave his country, they were still childless! Abram was now 75 and Sarai 65. Brethren, it was not funny. They were married but they carried a pain in their hearts.
They began following God by faith. Thankfully, they were no jokers with God but utterly and consistently faithful. But guess what? Even under God, a child wasn’t forthcoming either. That’s when Abram cried out to God:
“2 And Abram said, Lord God, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus?
3 And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir.” (Genesis 15:2-3)
Abram must have marvelled how under the God Who daily gave out hundreds of thousands of children he should still be childless and an employee of his would end up becoming the inheritor of the wealth he had laboured for. He just couldn’t understand it.
Perhaps, you and your Spouse are right now, going through a situation similar to that of Abram and his beautiful wife Sarai. You ardently love and serve God but certain longings of your heart for which you’ve prayed about for years are no where in sight and God is saying nothing to explain why.
Dearly Beloved, our anchor scripture tell us to count it all joy when it seems that all the odds are against us! These are the TRIALS OF OUR FAITH! And they aren’t meant to crush us but as the second verse of our anchor scripture tells us those trials are allowed by God to produce DIVINE PATIENCE in us! Why? Because DIVINE PATIENCE is a critical virtue highly necessary for our spiritual pilgrimage. Hear what Jesus said:
“In your PATIENCE possess ye your souls.”(Luke 21: 19; KJV)
Patience is a critical virtue for finishing strong and making heaven at last. And it’s through the trials we go through that this virtue is produced in us by the Holy Spirit.
Therefore, be joyful despite the pains. Be cheerful though it isn’t easy. Because through the dark days of trials and tribulation, we are being formed and made in whom God wants us to be.
After all many years of sore trials, Abraham and Sarah became the parents of many nations! So also shall your trials end in glorious testimonies!!
Below are some Hymns I’m led to give you to sing today.
Sit down together and sing them irrespective of your situation.
TRIALS DARK ON EVERY HAND
1 Trials dark on ev’ry hand,
and we cannot understand
All the ways that God would lead us
to that blessed Promised Land;
But He’ll guide us with His eye,
and we’ll follow till we die;
We will understand it better by and by.
Chorus:
By and by, when the morning comes,
When the saints of God are gathered home,
We will tell the story how we’ve overcome;
We will understand it better by and by.
2 Oft our cherished plans have failed,
disappointments have prevailed,
And we’ve wandered in the darkness,
heavyhearted and alone;
But we’re trusting in the Lord,
and according to His Word,
We will understand it better by and by. [Chorus]
3 Temptations, hidden snares
often take us unawares,
And our hearts are made to bleed
for some thoughtless word or deed,
And we wonder why the test
when we try to do our best,
But we’ll understand it better by and by. [Chorus]
THROUGH THE LOVE OF GOD OUR SAVIOUR
1 Through the love of God our Saviour,
All will be well;
Free and changeless is His favour,
All, all is well.
Precious is the blood that healed us,
Perfect is the grace that sealed us,
Strong the hand stretched forth to shield us,
All must be well.
2 Though we pass through tribulation,
All will be well.
Ours is such a full salvation,
All, all is well.
Happy still in God confiding;
Fruitful if in Christ abiding;
Steadfast through the Spirit’s guiding:
All must be well.
3 We expect a bright tomorrow;
All will be well.
Faith can sing through days of sorrow,
All, all is well.
On our Father’s love relying,
Jesus every need supplying;
Or in living or in dying;
All must be well.
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