by Brooks(ie) Hartzell
Praise God for His miraculous provision of work for Isaac with some lessons learned!
A few weeks back I was listening to Elevation Music's "Won't Stop Now" and was really struck by the lyric "His presence is an open door!" I think I have some insight into what that means though I don't think I fully understand it.
Last Monday our son Isaac had a job interview. This was extra exciting since he’s been out of work for 15 months and is now married. Praying ahead for this interview, the verse that came to mind was from Revelation, "I have set before you an open door which no man can shut!" I used this to pray that if this was such an open door from God, that truly no man would be able to shut or hinder it! -- and that Isaac would find favor in this hiring manager's eyes.
As it turned out, that's what happened! It went well, and Isaac had a technical interview the next day. Isaac thought that went well, too, and that they'd probably get back to him by the end of the week.
That evening Isaac texted me. He was playing some of our old Jesus Movement songs on his guitar for his newlywed Hannah and was asking about more easy songs. He mentioned how much they were enjoying these songs, and I reminded him how I have long found this my quickest way to get into God's presence. Two days later, he was called with a job offer!
I began wondering if maybe his getting into God's presence with singing to Him was one of the things that opened the heavens for this breakthrough. And this made me wonder more about why this would be so.
As I began pondering this, it occurred to me that maybe it really shouldn't be such a great wonder. After all, those earliest disciples of Jesus experienced the same thing--when they were in His presence, prayers were answered and miracles happened! And conversely when He was absent, like with the demonized boy in Mark 9, the disciples sometimes struggled to see breakthroughs--until they were back in His presence!
It also occurred to me that although there's certainly a sense in which He is always with us and will never forsake us, there does definitely seem to be times when He is ESPECIALLY near (although I suspect that at such times it is more likely US who have drawn nearer to Him). This is perhaps hinted at by such verses as 1 Cor. 5:4 and 11:29* and readily agrees with most believers' experience of God's power or presence being more evident, or "palpable" at certain times than at others. The truth seems to be that at such times, there is special grace to receive answered prayers, breakthoughs, and even miracles! So I have to wonder if this was the case with Isaac.
He came over just last night and we celebrated this phenomenal answer to prayer. After dinner we played more of those old songs and landed on "I Believe In Jesus." I almost fell out of my seat as we sang the chorus:
"I believe He is here now, standing in our midst
Here with the power to heal now, and the grace to forgive..."
This is something I am eager to learn more about! And I would be delighted to hear any testimonies of others who have experienced this. But in the meantime I know that I don't have to fully understand it to enjoy it. Like most everything else in our faith, I mainly just have to start DOING it, and as I do, God will open my understanding as He sees fit.
Praise God for His amazing goodness towards Isaac and us all! Thank you all, for joining with us in praying for Isaac to win this 15-month battle!
But wait! There’s more! About that delay...
It appears that God essentially benched Isaac for this period so he could work on his relationship with Hannah and focus undistracted on the many practical things that had to be done before their wedding. But just two months after the wedding, the honeymoon, and getting somewhat settled into their new life together, God directed Hannah's friend to tell her about this opportunity which ultimately landed Isaac the job. So, Isaac was benched just until their marriage started, and when that mission was finished, used that marriage to find Isaac the job!
I have to wonder how many times it's like that with all of us. There's something that we are sure that God has for us, but there's a delay which we don't understand until we see that He has something else He wants to put into place first, and THEN the breakthrough comes easily! While I'm certain that this isn't always the only cause of such delays, I suspect that it really is a cause more often than we might think.
May we all have the patience and faith to wait at such times and the discernment to trust that He has something else that He wants done first and will show it to us if we ask in faith without doubting!
*Such verses also tease at the idea that the experience of the early church together was much more experiential--EXPECTING Jesus' presence--than most churches today are comfortable with. But that's a different topic. :-)
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