I’ve misplaced my spectacles on several occasions. Haven’t you? Each time I lose it, l search frantically where I might have left or dropped it. And often, I’ve no rest until I find it. So I’ll turn the house upside down to try and locate it, and then I’d come to my senses, sit down, and say to the Lord, “I don’t know where my glasses are but You do. Show me where it is.” And each time, in just a matter of an hour, the Lord shows me where it is, and it’s always there. Never failed. Not once.
So this time round, I was in the Bible College of Wales and I misplaced my glasses… again. I spent over an hour trying to search for it, but in vain. So I sit as I always do and say to the Lord that He knows where it is and to show me. This time, a whole day passes and I don’t hear anything. The 2nd day, I don’t hear anything and I start to panic because now it’s no longer just my spectacles. Why is God keeping so silent? But all I hear is rest and trust. Stop striving and quit being anxious.
On the 3rd day, it’s finally found! What happened was – while I was praying for the students, it fell into one of their bags and she had a pair just like mine. Three days later, when she tried wearing them, she found herself unable to see clearly and it was then that she realised it wasn’t hers. And so, it was returned to the rightful owner. No matter how much I searched in the house, I’d have never have found it because it wasn’t there. So the Lord said, “REST”. It’s a lesson and the lesson is – God has a 100% track record in this. I never need to ever worry because the Lord is faithful and all I need to do when I pray is to trust Him.
This is just a simple illustration of how our faith can be developed to a point where we know that whatever we ask God, if it’s His will; then we know we’ll receive it.
Now let me extend the application of this illustration. Let’s talk about provision for a few moments. Let’s say I’m in a desperate situation and praying for God to supernaturally provide. The Lord comes through and He provides completely for my need. This ought to do something in the renewing of my mind. It must change me. So the next time I find myself in a similar situation, I must remember what happened the last time, even if the amount is now much larger.
I need to believe that He’ll come through for me again in this new situation because He has proven Himself faithful in the past. The amount might be much larger, but the principle is the same. God’s a provider and He’s faithful. Each time you pass the test, the amount gets larger until you now believe the Provider for millions and millions, just like Mr. Rees Howells did. God’s not a man that He should lie; nor the son of man that He should repent. Has He not said it, and will He not do it!
