A winding path lies before you, and as far as the eye can see the prettiest of blooming flowers line it, foretelling of the walk ahead to be both scenic and beautiful, but in your heart you also know that in any journey of life one is bound to have some rainy seasons and also some mountains to climb, so You gather the essentials and make preparation for the journey ahead. You are literally minutes away from stepping foot upon that path when you hear a gentle voice whisper in the most loving tone, “My child, wait!”
You freeze in your tracks slightly shaken by the very words you just heard. In your spirit you begin to understand that it was the Father’s voice you heard, yet you also wonder what could this all possibly mean?
The door leading to the path that lay before you had seemingly swung shut a lengthy time ago. The desire within you hadn’t perished, the vision hadn’t left, although as time passed it seemed the desire was beginning to be forgotten and the vision grew a wee bit dimmer, nonetheless it was still alive within. The verse in the 37th Psalm has became an anthem to you when you had first seen the vision and believed it was from the Father
“Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.” ~Psalms 37:4
You prayed, seeking the Father’s face, desiring His heart to be manifested to you in all of this and now the door had cracked open and with a heart filled with Faith you were ready to step upon the threshold believing this was where you were to walk for the next season of your life.
“The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, And He delights in his way.” ~Psalms 37:23
You find yourself standing in front of the door now, one foot in mid stride as you attempt to catch your balance and focus on what the Father is speaking in this moment and as He speaks You fall upon your face, crying out to God. What is now being required of you is surrender and sacrifice in measures you hadn’t thought possible.
My friend, may I draw your attention to a passage in scripture where a man of Faith, namely Abraham received the promise that he was to have a son even in his older age, and also the promise that he was to be a father of many nations. We know the story well, but there is a particular passage in Genesis 22 that speaks of a time of testing and surrender.
“Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” Then He said, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son; and he split the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him.”
Genesis 22:1-3
One of the phrases I want to zone in on are “God tested Abraham”. We know that Abraham was full of faith and when God called him, he didn’t hesitate to do the bidding of His Father, to offer up his one and only son.
“He rose early in the morning” and went to the place where God had told him. He didn’t hesitate even for a day, he went immediately even though it was going to require a deep level of surrender and trust. We also know that the Father did provide in abundant measures that day and still today He pours out His spirit upon us.
My friends, I don’t alway understand why the Father closes doors, but this I do know. It’s always because He has something better in store for us. Remember He sees the whole picture and we don’t. So to sum all of the above in three words.
- Surrender
- Trust
- Obey
May you be encouraged that while you wait, you have the opportunity to worship and grow more intimately in the relationship with your Heavenly King❤️