Page 126 - Evidence of Things Unseen

What a parallel these occasions in Abram’s life were to my own situation, for I had also
omitted some information to help God out (not telling our landlord we had dogs), and in
doing so I had revealed that my faith was not yet perfected. God, in His mercy, would now
allow me to walk through the same situation again in order that I might walk perfectly this
next time. In a great parallel to our previous move, we once more had two weeks to move,
no money on hand, and no idea where we would move to.
When Yahweh revealed the purpose for having us go through this again, I felt no
reproof from Him, but only His desire to see me perfected in faith. As I read the story of
Abram’s two similar events, I also could find no hint of God reproving him in the matter.
God simply continued to patiently mold Abram into Abraham the father of faith. When I
understood the will and purpose of God in this matter, I gathered my family together and
I confessed to them these things. I told them that the reason we were having to move again
so soon was that I had not acted perfectly in the previous move, and God wanted to see all
of His children perfected before Him. I confessed my error and we all committed to doing
it right this next time.
I took comfort in the fact that Yahweh did not punish Abram materially when he
stumbled in these matters, but that he actually was increased in goods in both instances.
Though he did suffer embarrassment in being forcibly escorted out of Egypt, he went away
with more than he arrived with. Knowing this, I had hope that God would not make us
suffer some deprivation due to my error, such as sending us to live in some dilapidated
hovel that was undesirably situated, trusting instead that He was merely looking to produce
a correct attitude in me that He might bless us.
June 25th was a landmark day due to the fact that we learned that the Lord was going
to move us again in two weeks, but it also stood out because we received a financial gift in
the mail that day from a Christian sister in California. It had been two months and two days
exactly since the last gift, and this was the capstone to God’s testimony that He was
removing much flesh from my life. The amount we received was fifty dollars, and five is the
number of grace, and fifty is the number of Jubilee where all the captives were set free, so
this number was also very significant to us. An added testimony was that the sister had
written the check out and dated it for the 23rd, and once more Yahweh was testifying to us
that He was our shepherd and we would not want. We actually received more than fifty
dollars on this day, for our landlord had told us our rent would be free for the month, and
this was a financial provision as well.
As I spoke to my family of what the Father was doing, I shared with them how
gracious and merciful the Father was being to us. Our landlord could have come over with
great indignation because I had not told them about the dogs, and he could have been angry
that I was behind on the rent. He could have rightfully demanded that we be out in two
weeks and still pay the last month’s rent, yet none of these things occurred. We received
great grace as the landlord was very humble and even apologetic, and he demonstrated
much grace to us in giving us a free month’s rent. We serve a loving and merciful God.