The last three days have filled my heart and my pen with stories of God’s amazing grace. These stories have reminded me of the power of God, His gospel, and the continuation of His work in our day. The God who parted the Red Sea and brought forth water from a rock is still at work and is still intent upon showing His people that “nothing is too hard” for Him. Moreover, these stories have opened my eyes to the weakness of my faith and to my pint-sized sacrifices.
Ultimately, the stories I’m about to tell have reminded me of two wonderful realities: 1) My God is totally sovereign, infinitely great, and thoroughly good! 2) He desires that His people believe in His magnitude and step out in faith to risk, love, and act on His behalf.
I’ve been reminded that when these two realities coalesce…miracles often happen
Story #1 – “God is big enough to provide”
In the early to mid 90’s Sammy was a troubled man. Not troubled in the sense that he was away from God or overcome with sin. Rather, he was a strong Christian man who was troubled by the lack of love Christians showed to the “least of these” his city. His heart grew more and more restless as he grew his understanding of the conditions of so many who lived on the streets. He was conflicted Sunday after Sunday as he wondered how so many believers can gather in nice clothes inside of beautiful buildings to worship God and simultaneously display total indifference to the thousands of have no bread and bed. So, moved by the Spirit of God, he prayerfully decided to act.
Soon after Sammy stepped out on faith to reach the hands of Jesus to the “untouchables” of society, he was approached by a woman. The woman was clearly pregnant as she had been raped on the streets. She desperately pleaded with Sammy for money in order to get an abortion. Of course, Sammy declined to give her the money or encourage her to proceed with abortion as a solution. Instead, he told her, “God is big enough to provide for this baby”. Weeks later the young woman returned with a smile on her face and holding a baby in her arms. Sammy too was smiling until he realized what she was doing. She was bringing the baby to him! As she handed the little girl to him, she said, “You said that God is big enough to provide so I am giving her to you.” As he held this infant girl his words were like a boomerang. Only, the words he spoke with confidence to her now returned with something of a question mark. He knew he didn’t have the resources to provide for this little one. This was a test of faith. How would he practice what he had preached to the young woman? Would he believe that God would provide?
Sammy began to call all the Christian people that he knew. After hours of calling a Christian family eagerly agreed to help. The wife was already nursing an infant and would be able to supply for the new baby. The infant girl would survive and eventually thrive. Sammy told us this story from the lunchroom of his recently renovated orphanage. He has been a part of starting and directing numerous endeavors to reach out to orphans and poverty-stricken people. The orphanage we visited was spectacular. The kids were being loved, nourished, and educated. More than that, they were being exposed to the gospel and to what a transformed believer looks like in action. 17 years ago, Sammy was tested by a young woman and an infant girl. Would he really believe that God is big enough? The answer is yes and the orphanage stands to prove. By the way, remember that infant girl? Well, she now works on his staff. An orphan who has been transformed by the gospel. An orphan who delights in serving her Savior by reaching His hands back to orphans.
Sammy left us with a concluding statement that I will paraphrase for you:
“The more you risk in faith, the greater the tests will be. However, the more you risk in faith before our God, the greater the rewards will be.” Risk much and watch God work!