Faith

Sun stand still

What does the word 'faith' mean to you? As a Christian, faith is placing my entire belief and trust in Jesus the Christ, not just for salvation but for my life. For everything. **Faith is the substance of things not yet seen and is the evidence of things hoped for. Faith is what we hold onto even when our circumstances seem very contrary to those hopes. When I first decided to move to Cali, it was all based in faith that Jesus had plans for me out here. I had no idea where I'd be staying, had no reliable transportation of my own, no job set up. I just had faith. Faith and a boldness to go. California has always been my dream state and in July, I decided I would just go in faith despite all of the unknowns. Obviously, my personality is not one that is in favor of "unknowns" but this unknown was okay with me because I knew that Jesus knew.

I left PA and moved to California unprepared and without knowing where my next step would lead. But, once again, Jesus was directing them so I was good. That's not to say that I didn't experience any discomfort or frustrations with my unknown but God lead me every step of the way. I didn't have to spend a night in a shelter and only spent one night on the street. Multiple times, at the very last second, right when I needed God to move on my behalf, He moved! One such instance was when I was living in the mansion with my Persian family,.The day that I needed to leave was the day their former nanny was returning. I had no idea where I was going to go and mind you, I was in Bel Air so I couldn't exactly go stay at the Best Western. This was a ritzy neighborhood and I didn't know anyone. I had all my people praying and believing. When my sister was in San Diego very briefly, she had made arrangements to roommate with someone but before she moved in, she decided to move back to PA.

Well, my sister had told this woman about me and informed her that I was looking for a place to stay. The woman and I spoke and she became my new roommate. Mere days before I was to leave Bel Air, God had moved on my behalf and provided a roommate. And she and I hadn't even met in person yet because she was in San Diego. Now you could say, "Well, that wasn't God, that was you. You searched and did hard work and found someone just in time." Yes, I did look but I couldn't find anyone. And I didn't happen upon this woman on Craigslist or some other site. God intervened and used my sister and just in the nick of time, I had shelter.

Moving in with that woman led to me being in another God appointed situation. Once while at the pool, one of the neighbors and I started talking and then as our conversation progressed, she offered me her late father's car! Are you kidding me?! When does that happen? It doesn't unless the favor of God goes before you and makes a way for you. And before I moved to Cali, one of my prayers was, Lord, lead me by Your wisdom and thank You that Your favor goes before me/has made a way for me. This is what I confessed. God, Your favor goes before me. God, You favor makes a way for me. Over and over, even after I got here. Even when I was weary and had no idea where I'd be sleeping, this was my confession and belief. My hope was (is) in Jesus and His promise to *give me a hope and a future. I have a new car that I didn't earn in any sense of the word. I didn't pay for it, God simply gave it to me. His goodness towards me is unfathomed. Now, I'm nothing special and didn't "perform" for God to bless me with this. I just trusted His Word and His Word says that He will *supply all my needs. I moved from PA with no car, I'd say that was a need.

That roommate and I had a falling out and I ended up moving out. Had I not had that car, I don't know where all of my things would have been during the two or three weeks I spent sleeping in a Walmart parking lot. I don't know where I would've been. But God set things up and directed my path so that I was able to just walk into what He had ready for me so that I would be prepared for the challenges that were ahead of me. God does not leave us unprepared as we follow Him. Can you imagine all of what I would've missed had I not even made the move from the East Coast? I'm debt free and stress free and don't have to make car payments. Not many young adults can say that, especially after having moved to a new state so suddenly. I'm now in a different roommate situation which I believed God for and He answered exactly as I believed.

What is my point in saying this? It's to encourage you to have strong, serious, immovable faith in the God for Whom all things are possible and nothing is impossible. At the new church I started attending, I met my current roommates on the first day. It was what I was hoping in God would be my last morning awakening in my car. I had a list of churches that I wanted to visit and prayed concerning which to check out first. I had a special request of the Lord, that I would be able to just go home with a member that day and not have to sleep in my car anymore. I drove to the church where I believed God was leading me and once I got inside, I met so many people. Eventually, I met the woman and husband who would be my new temporary roommates. I shared my situation with them and they said they could have their spare room ready for me that night! You can not tell me that prayer doesn't work and that God doesn't keep His Word. My hope in His ability to act on my behalf was specific and His answer to me was specific.

Often times, we don't get what we want because we don't believe that God will actually do it. And that brings me to the subtitle of this post, sun stand still. A few Sundays ago, at this new church, the message was about asking God for what we need in faith that He is able to do it. One of the passages referenced was in Joshua 10 when he and the Israelites were fighting against their enemies. Joshua asked God and commanded for the sun to stand still so that they could gain the victory over those who pursued them. And that request was granted. Followers and non followers alike, this is the power of God in the lives of His people. If only we believe. What an incredible faith Joshua must have possessed to even consider speaking to one of the biggest stars in our galaxy and telling it to remain where it hung in the sky. Sounds crazy, honestly. But when it is for His glory and our good, God will answer those crazy sounding requests if we *make them known to Him and ask in faith.

If we really believe in this God we worship, we have to pray and believe like it. Yes, it can be hard sometimes, especially when the odds are so against us, but we have to put our trust in El Roi, the One Who sees and knows where we are and how we feel. Today or tonight or whenever you are reading this, consider what it is you need from God. Ask Him for it in boldness and trust Him to bring it to fruition. Whatever you're dealing with or facing or pressing for, tell the sun to stand still, because the same God Who honored that request for Joshua is the same God Who will honor your faith and move on your behalf.

This is a longer post than what I normally do but someone needed this today. And God is right on time. Prayefully, this timely bit of encouragement spurns forward on whomever needed to know that God still sees you. He does. The God of the universe still sees you. And He is mighty to save. Don't let go.


**Scripture Reference
Hebrews 12:1
Jeremiah 29:11
Philippians 4:19
Philippians 4:6