Responding to the Vision of God

God gives us a vision. In God's time the vision will be fulfilled. The period of time between the vision and its fulfillment is critical for the saint. It is during this period of time that we are to patiently bear our cross after the Lord.

We think about Abraham. God gave him a vision concerning an heir. After several years Abraham decided to fulfill the vision. The result was Ishmael, the wild man. After a quarter of a century passed, the vision was fulfilled by the power of God.

The record of Christianity, for the most part, is that of human beings taking matters into their own hands. Denominations may commence with a vision from the Lord, but it appears sooner or later they take matters into their own hands.

We humans find waiting for the Lord very difficult.

Sometimes nine camels are watered immediately, so to speak. But the tenth camel may be delayed for one cause or another. The reason it is delayed is that God is not ready as yet to fulfill the vision. If we plow ahead and wrench and force that which is hindering us, the result will be a wild man.

Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

What we hope for is the fulfillment of the vision. What is not seen is the fulfillment of the vision. So we are to patiently wait for God to do what He has promised.

The vision excites us because it speaks directly to that for which we have been created. We are joyous and ready to serve the Lord.

Then the years go by—twenty, thirty, forty. No fulfillment. What now?

Here is the testing of our faith and patience. If we go ahead in our flesh and seek to fulfill the vision, we will produce confusion. Apples eaten before they are ripe can cause considerable discomfort in the region of our stomach.

How blessed is that individual who grasps the vision by faith, and then waits while God prepares him or her, other people, and circumstances so once the vision is fulfilled it can be enjoyed without pain. "The blessing of the Lord makes rich and He adds no sorrow with it."

Not only was Ishmael a wild man, Abraham experienced considerable sorrow as he was forced to drive Hagar and Ishmael away. They nearly died in the desert before God intervened.

Hagar was Sarah's idea. She too suffered pain as Hagar scorned her, and later when she saw Ishmael mocking when Isaac was weaned.

The true Christian life is one of patiently waiting for the Lord to fulfill His promises. The believers who are following their own understanding, walking in the flesh, will always mock those who are looking to the Lord Jesus for His will in every circumstance.

We know the current "faith" and "prosperity" teachings are not from the Lord because they insist we receive the answer right now. Such an attitude is contrary to the Scriptures.

To be continued.