God Doesn't Always Deliver

In the past year
deliverance
was always on my heart and mind.

Thousands of Christians were praying for the Innocent Man.
I received a small mountain of encouragement,
verses sent in emails, texts, Facebook and  recited in person,
repeating promises of
deliverance.

This YouTube video by Selah blasted from my computer many times.

We all believed God was going to
deliver
in a mighty way.

When the jury foreman said the word guilty,
we were stunned.
Older believers, whose faith that could move mountains,
were speechless before a holy and mighty God.

We were humbled to realize there was a plan we could not fathom.
Deliverance
was not the plan for January 20, 2012.

 

I read Hebrews 11 last week in my morning devotions.
I was stunned again.
How had I missed this message for almost 30 years?


¹³ These all died in faith,
not having received the promises,
but having seen them afar off were assured of them,
embraced them and confessed that
they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.  


Somehow, I always thought of Hebrews 11 as a chapter of victory,

recording great deliverances and miracles.
I guess I didn't read too clearly.

My heart is beating a different rhythm these days,
 trying to beat in tune with the heart of a God,
whose ways are not my ways and thoughts are not my thoughts.

Clearly, in Hebrews, not all of His  people were delivered on earth.
Instead, He reminds us we are strangers and pilgrims on this earth.

In other words,
we don't belong here.
We belong with Him.


Deliverance
might not come when we think it should,
and sometimes not until we pass from this world.

Life on earth is hard for believers.
The Lord doesn't keep that a secret from His people.

Hebrews 11:35
Women received their dead raised to life again:
and others were tortured,
not accepting deliverance;
that they might obtain a better resurrection:

36 Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings,

yes, and of chains and imprisonment.

37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two,

were tempted, were slain with the sword.

They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins,

 being destitute, afflicted, tormented

38 of whom the world was not worthy.

They wandered in deserts and mountains,

in dens and caves of the earth.

Until eternal deliverance comes,
and we get to be with Him,
we know how to act, thanks to Hebrews 11.

v. 5 Enoch pleased God

v. 7 Noah moved with godly fear

v. 8 Abraham obeyed

v. 11 Sarah received strength

v. 27 Moses forsook Egypt (this world!)

If you've trusted Christ as your Savior

 and your name is written in His book of life,

write your name in another book.

Literally, I mean.

Open to Hebrews 11 and pencil in your name and your trial.

Then think how you want your life remembered by others.

Will your faith be recorded,

even though you lived a life of suffering?

Can you walk by faith until you receive eternal

deliverance?

Because God's plan for our trials isn't always

deliverance

on earth.