Waiting on the Lord!

Once again I find myself seeking fervently for God’s timing. Do I doubt? How could I after he’s proven himself to me over and over? What God has always shown me is “In my timing not yours”. So once again I find myself waiting patiently for the Lord.

When we arrived in Colombia sometime ago, malady we were planning a 2-3 year assignment. We raised our budget in a long adventure of selling all of our belongings (house, cialis cars, furniture…) and danced from church to church all over the Eastern United States (Georgia, Florida, Pennsylvania, and Michigan). Here is where the fun begins. When we arrived in Colombia, one dollar was worth more than 2400 Colombian Pesos. You feel pretty wealthy when the rent on your house is over a million (pesos). Well, unfortunately the U.S. dollar has taken some abuse in the past couple years. After our first year the dollar was just under 2000 pesos and today is below 1900 pesos. What does that mean? We are now down to 78% of our original budget. The other bouncing factor is our U.S. income. Our income is based on churches and individuals pledging to support us on a monthly basis and sending in those pledges each month. We had a great December, bringing in more than our projected budget. The overage goes into our rainy day account for the not so strong months. Unlucky for us, January had been a monsoon. On top of everything else, 2007 was a painful time of unexpected doctors expenses and other surprises. What do you do with a maxed out Credit Card, 22% of your budget shot (peso-dollar), and a suffering income? Praise the Lord! A miracle wouldn’t be a miracle without a need. God has always met our needs.

Here is the emotional process that I have been dealing with:

If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

1 Timothy 5:8 (NIV)

Although I don’t have control over the economy or pocketbooks of others, am I failing my family and myself? If God is my provider, is he not also that for my family? What is my responsibility to my family? …to God? As the spiritual leader of my home and missionary, did I not offer up myself and my family to God as a sacrifice?

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.

Romans 12:1

I had a secular job and it paid well, but I did not provide that job for myself or my family. God provided the job and money to teach me that he will always provide for me so that I may provide for my family.

Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.

1 Timothy 6:16-18 (NIV)

So once again I find myself waiting patiently for the Lord.

Wait for the LORD;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the LORD.

Psalm 27:14

And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.

Hebrews 6:15

For I will ask nothing of the Lord that he does not want for me but I will ask for ALL that he wants of me.

So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.”

Genesis 22:14