Friday, 08 September 2023
“For the message of the cross is foolishness [absurd and illogical] to those who are perishing and spiritually dead [because they reject it], but to us who are being saved [by GOD’s grace] it is [the manifestation of] the power of GOD” – 1 Corinthians 1:18 AMP
In the United States, between 1997 and 1999, there were 539 documented births from mothers above the age of 50. 194 of those deliveries were from mothers over the age of 55. The oldest documented mother was reported to have been 73 years old, but this was achieved through artificial means (IVF). The oldest mother to naturally conceive and give birth was 59 years old. This, then, means that there has never been a documented natural birth from a woman above the age of 60. For me personally, the oldest woman that I have seen to conceive naturally and give birth is 50 years old. This, then, means most of us have never seen a woman giving birth who’s over 60 years old. This is with advancements in modern medicine (e.g. hormone therapy and IVFs) and with so many specialists who are always trying to push the boundaries of what is naturally possible. Yet the Bible says that Sarah gave birth to Isaac when she was 90 years old. Even with technology and science at its peak, the oldest we have achieved is 73 years old.
“And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered Him faithful who had made the promise” Hebrews 11:11 NIV. We always assume that people in the Bible had a “different” anointing and that they believed the way they did because maybe they knew something that we don’t. I can only imagine what it was like for Sarah trying to motivate herself to continue believing GOD for her miracle. She had to wait for 25 years before the promise was fulfilled, before there was a physical manifestation of the promise. You are already old and you’ve never seen anyone give birth at the same age that you received the promise. A decade later you are still believing and praising GOD for your son. Another decade later you are still constant and steadfast in your confession. Five years later, still no child, yet you are still hopeful and still believing.
“And without faith it is impossible to please GOD, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him” Hebrews 11:6 NIV. Like Apostle Paul before me, I also know a man. A man who went to varsity in Durban with nothing but R500 in his pocket, with no money for registration and accommodation. When he got there he met other young people like him (some who were in a worse financial position than him) who were told that they needed to contribute at least R12 000 (R6 000 for registration and R6 000 for accommodation) to be able to register. Yet his father and uncle had faith. He called and told them that he thinks he should come back and try again next year. They refused and told him that he must wait, mind you, he didn’t even know where he was going to sleep that night. Two days later he was told that he qualified for financial assistance, accommodation, and meal allowance and that he didn’t have to contribute anything. All because of the faith of his dad and uncle. What manner of faith is this?
It’s when there is no other alternative that your faith is put to the ultimate test. When it doesn’t make sense and you would be justified if you said it’s impossible. It’s in this “impossible” realm that GOD requires and expects your faith. It’s when four days have lapsed and your “dead” brother is in the tomb, and your relatives are ready to finalize the funeral proceedings, and then GOD comes and requires your faith. Make no mistake, this type of faith will cost you. It will stretch and strip away all fiber of logic and experience. It will make you the laughingstock of your family and friends, yet you will be pleasing before your GOD. It’s when there’s no blueprint to follow, and your only advisor and instructor is the Holy Spirit. When you are required to achieve something that everyone in your family has believed for decades to be impossible. When your word from GOD goes against what you have been taught to believe and practice. When they say you will be the financial breakthrough for your family and you don’t even have a matric.
It’s during these periods of stretching that your flesh wants to “help” the process. When you want to accelerate the process by using connections and past experiences. GOD then closes those doors so that you don’t end up praising your problem-solving capabilities for your breakthrough. And when you’ve come to the end of yourself and have surrendered everything to GOD, then everything opens up and you give glory to Him. When all that is required is faith, faith in the One that has promised. This is what is meant by “without faith it is impossible to please GOD”.
It’s when there is no other alternative that your faith is put to the ultimate test. When it doesn’t make sense and you would be justified if you said it’s impossible
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