Faithfulness - always

I was told a story yesterday.  It involves me and a person that I'm not sure would want the press, so I'll refrain from details and such.  But what a cool story.

I don't know how you feel about prophetic words or God speaking in ways that are clear or such things as this.  If you're not into that or don't believe it happens today, please quit reading now.

So here's the cool story:  I have known this person for the better part of 20 years.  About 15 years ago or so God spoke.  It was clear.  It was authoritative.  And it was out-of-this-world insane.  I don't mean a little bit crazy.  I mean, "Are you kidding me?" crazy.  It was like God telling Abraham and Sarah that they'd have a kid as they approached the century mark.  It was Isaiah prophesying about virgins conceiving and the government resting on a child's shoulders.

Okay, so that might be a little bit overstated.  It probably shouldn't go down as canonical.  But it was that crazy.  And here's what's crazier:  15 years later, it came true.  God did it, exactly as He said He would.  He saw it through.  He made it happen.  He fulfilled His promise and concretized His prophecy.

And then I read in Isaiah this morning about the messianic prophecies in chapters 7 and 9.  And then I thought about Abraham and laughing Sarah.  It took years for Abraham and Sarah to conceive the promised child.  It took 800 years for Isaiah's prophetic words to be fully fulfilled.  It took about 15 years for my friend's word to come true.

But they all did.  And that's where the encouragement lies for you and me.  Be of good courage and don't lose heart.  The God who promises is the God who fulfills His promise.  No matter what you've been waiting on, heard from the Lord, or have petitioned Him for more times than the widow before the judge in Luke 18, God is faithful.  He answers in His timing and according to His plan, which is always best.

He who calls you is faithful; and He will surely do it.  (1 Thessalonians 5.24)