FAITH AND GOD'S SOVEREIGNTY

Luke 18:1 (NIV)
1Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.


Luke 18:6-8 (NIV)
6And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off ? 8I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?"

These two statements say to me that God's willingness to answer prayer is not what the question is, but how I keep faith. Here it says I will get justice and 'quickly'. How do I reconcile the statement of 'quickly' with many issues that have not been answered yet, such as the return of the Chibok girls? It took nearly 25 years of suffering before I received healing? How 'quick' are those??

With the Chibok girls, I think perhaps God is using the situation to 'find occasion' against Boko Haram, just like he did with Samson and the Philistines and Pharaoh and the Children of Israel. Concerning my healing, if I pause a minute and look at what I have learnt through that adversity, the quantum of growth of my faith, and the depth of my relationship with God, I view those years with gratitude. God really did do something new in me , in and through those difficult times.

My conclusions:
It is all about my perspective, thoughts behaviours and belief system on the one hand and the sovereignty and timing of God on the other. Though I find it difficult to understand within the limits of my human view point, I can definitely 'allow' what God is saying to come through.

However, once I take a deeper look at the verse 6, I begin to see that my faith position is important in the equation.
What I hear loud and clear is that :
1) I must keep faith
2) God hears and sees my petitions and my plight
3) He says He will answer quickly
4) The timing of the answer is part of a wider picture which only God has control over.
5) God's sovereignty means that what is happening in my life is not about what is comfortable for me, but completely about how my faith shapes my response to life's experiences .  Also, how my faith impacts my willingness to serve God, and my submission to His sovereignty.

All easier said than done eh? So this is a reminder to myself. 

I hope this speaks to someone too.

May your faith be built up to the measure of the power of our God, which is available to you in Christ Jesus. Amen.