SCRIPTURE: Exodus 1
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
(Read my reflection from 2008)
So God was kind to the midwives and the people increased and became even more numerous. [Exodus 1:20]
In this world, it’s only a matter of time before injustice or oppression occur.
And yet faith does not focus on the evil, but on the God Who remains sovereign over that evil.
The faith perspective does not deny the hard stuff, but it sees beyond it to the God Who is over all.
This is what it means to fear God, even more than Pharoah or difficulty.
Those who fear (honour) God first experience His goodness, they see the things that happen as a part of God’s gracious provision and purpose.
Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. [Matthew 14:19]
Like the midwives, He sees God with a faith perspective (looks to heaven) and trusts in God to provide.
And God was kind to Jesus and the people, and the food increased and became more numerous.
I believe that this faith perspective, acknowledging the hardship but focusing on heaven, is the key to seeing God’s provision and purpose in our lives.
This is not a quick fix, a technique for getting what we want from God.
It is a faith perspective that we hang on to, no matter what God does (or does not do).
Those who keep their eyes on God, even when life gets hard, eventually see His hand at work.
But it even takes a faith perspective to see God’s hand at work, because sometimes (often) it comes cloaked in the insufficient, the uncomfortable, even the unwanted answers.
Whether God gives us what we wants, or what we do not want, by faith we look up to heaven and give thanks, and trust God to take care of the rest.
As we will see in the following chapters of Exodus, God’s provision and purpose come slowly but surely.
By faith, they will see God increase and multiply, and provide for those who fear and trust Him.
PRAYER:
Lord, give me this faith perspective in my own life. I want to see You and what You are doing in and through me.