The Twelve Days of Christmas – Day 11

27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. NKJV

By an act of faith, he turned his heel on Egypt, indifferent to the king’s blind rage. He had his eye on the One no eye can see, and kept right on going. MSG

The gift of “free will” is given to each of us by our Creator God.
Each of us have the opportunity to think and make choices based upon our own decisions. This same gift can prove to be a blessing for us – as well as depending upon the circumstance a curse. One of the tragedies of this age is the thought pattern that many people have when tragedy strikes that God has somehow been cruel, when those same people leave God out of their lives every day – never seeking Him as to what they should do – or even thanking Him when good comes (for indeed the rain does shine on the just and the unjust – all of us experience blessings in this life that we do not deserve).

History records Moses as a man of great faith! Faith was a legacy given him by his parents, (who did not fear the laws of the land which decreed the death of every male Hebrew child – but rather hid him because they knew he was a proper child!). What courage that must have taken to not only make a conscientious decision that they would hide their male child, but then entrust God to keep him safe in a little handcrafted boat and place him daily on the river to be hidden from view of the village.

When I heard our theme scripture preached by an evangelist -it immediately became a Rhema word to me! I knew that whatever the cost – I had to make decisions not based on what the head of my throne (my will, my flesh, my desires) decreed, but that I must walk through an unknown territory – seeing the one who is invisible! I could write volumes as to what this has meant – but let it suffice to say that there have been countless mornings when I arose and fell on my knees and could not even utter a prayer, because my way was too dark to even know what to say and certainly too foggy to know what to do!

It was those days that I learned to hear the voice of God. It was those days that I understood what it means that He will be a voice in your ear telling you which way to go- Isaiah 30:21. I learned faith by not seeing with my own eye, or working through challenges with my intellect, or even following the advice of others that I respected (although I believe in seeking wise counsel). Faith is a journey that I knew I had to walk, not just for me – but if I had one gift I knew I needed to pass on to my children in this fallen world so quickly approaching the end of the age – I knew it had to be faith!

For me that translated into making decisions that seemingly made no sense! For me that meant purchasing houses I could not afford – returning to school with no money – even realizing that I could not be everywhere nor do everything for my children – that the lot that had fallen to them – I could portray as a blessing or a curs e- I chose to see “blessing!” So many times when finances would not let me convey the desires of the king’s court that lived in my mind – my heart would hear a plan, though meager by comparison to what was going on in my mind – I knew that my attitude in doing it would make the difference – so I CHOSE to make a simple meal a party – a rainy day would not prevent us from putting a sheet down on the floor and having a picnic with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and butter cookies!

Fast forwarding to when my children began to be adults – was no less a challenge in my venture to leave a legacy of faith – as they began to have greater opportunity to make choices – I saw that many were not choices based upon the faith I knew they had lived under. It was at this time that God gave me a plan using the one thing they loved – the party atmosphere that was generated when they all got together to eat Sunday dinner! The Holy Spirit reminded me that if I would feed them, they would come (to my house)! And so, providing Sunday dinner for the family became a ritual that would end with “family prayer.” It was at those times when I saw the strength of collective faith gently encouraging my now grown children to hold on to God – and lean not on their own understanding, but acknowledge God and let Him direct their paths! Again, volumes of testimonies could be written that flow from these precious times in our family!

Don’t let me end without saying – that faith is a journey that continuously challenges the seen world we live in! I still have to rise and offer so many days to God, blindly hoping He will lead me in the direction of blessing – and yet to my faith has been added trust – I trust God to lead me – I trust God to lead my children – that has given me peace!

“Because He lives – I can face tomorrow – Because He lives all fear is gone – Because I know who holds my future, life is worth the living – just because He (the invisible God) lives!” _Words by Bill Gaither, emphasis – mine!

God Bless You This Day!
Maria