As I read, prayed, and pondered the Word of God, Faith, Patience, Persistence, and Delay became my focused meditation.   True biblical faith is patient and persistent. It is undeterred by delay.  Is that descriptive of us?  Sometimes it is, and sometimes it isn’t for most of us.  Frequently, we are impatient, and impatience is the enemy of biblical faith.

In Exodus 32, Moses was on the mountain with God.   The people’s fear and lack of understanding of who God is caused them to become impatient when Moses’ return was delayed beyond their patience.   They convinced Aaron to lead them in rebellion and idolatry without much difficulty.

God sent Moses back to deal with the problem.  Exodus 32:19 reveals that when Moses saw the idol and idol worship, “his anger burned hot.”   Does rebellion against God (in us or others) make us angry?  If we get angry at sin, we will deal with it through righteous intercession and example.

Hebrews 11, the great Faith chapter of the New Testament, gives some powerful revelations.   In Hebrews 11:11, Sarah’s Faith embraced God’s miracle power. “For the authority of her Faith rested in the One who made the promise, AND she TAPPED INTO His faithfulness.” [Emphasis added]

Hebrews 11:34b – “Faith sparked courage within them, AND they became mighty warriors in battle, PULLING armies from another realm into the battle.”

Hebrews 11:39 states that these lived in hope without seeing fulfillment but never gave up. They persisted through the delay. “But now God has invited us to live in something better than what they had—faith’s fullness!”

Faith trusts God’s integrity and persists, reaches into the heavenly realm, and draws it into this realm.   Faith is not asking and passively sitting back and waiting. It is waiting in persistent prayer and affirmation of the promise. It is aggressive, not passive. It refuses to be dissuaded because God promised.  Therefore, it is done, so patience rules the heart. Our impatience reveals a lack of trust in God’s integrity and our selfishness.

Our objective is to submit everything to God, tap into His resources, and draw angels into the mix. God’s promises are as certain as God Himself. Without faith, it is impossible to please Him. So please Him. He never fails, even when we do.

Have a faith-filled day, relaxing in His presence!