Crisis: It is not a happy, ‘feel good’ word, and we would prefer not to even hear about it. Yet, as the maxim goes: When you understand the nature of a problem, you are halfway towards a solution.
Yet there is more.
While for some, crisis can mean the ‘end of the world,’ for others, it can be
the womb of opportunity. Biblical greats faced serious crises, in some cases,
insoluble by human means. When God was all they had, they wonderfully
discovered that God was all they needed.
With bush fires, droughts, pandemic, lockdown, riots and recession, is it even possible to even contemplate surviving, even succeeding, where others struggle or fall?
The answer is ‘Yes.’ It is possible to prosper during crisis.
Here is a prime example. It comes from the Book of Genesis.
Genesis 26: If you think our challenges are great, spare a thought for the Biblical characters. The patriarch Isaac dwelt in the promised land, as God commanded him, yet his faith was being put to a severe test. The ‘land of milk and honey’ was afflicted with drought and famine.
What do you do?
The normal response was to do what everyone else was doing - Go to Egypt. His father Abraham, and his son Jacob ended up doing that very thing and for the very same reason - famine. In that great land the mighty Nile River provided the water and fertile soil to make it a breadbasket. As the holy family found out in Matthew 2, Egypt was also a refuge from danger. However, if we are going to prosper in crisis, we have to go beyond the ‘good idea’ and embrace the ‘God-idea,’ even if we are the only ones doing it.
The God-Idea: This comes by ‘waiting on the Lord’ and ‘hearing the Word of the Lord,’ since God speaks (Hebrews 1:1-2). In Isaac’s case, God told him to do the exact opposite that everyone else is doing. God said to ‘Dwell in the land’ (Genesis 26:2-3). Isaac wisely chose to ‘follow the cloud, not the crowd.’
Promise for obedience: God promised to bless, cause Isaac to inherit the land, see Abraham’s covenant fulfilled, plus bestow on him many descendants and be a source of universal blessing. Remember, that New Testament believers have also been given many promises and they are all ‘Yes’ and ‘Amen’ in Christ (2 Corinthians 1:20). However, God expects our full cooperation for this to come to pass.
Response: Jesus often said that, ‘many are called, but few are chosen’ (Matthew 22:14). What makes the difference between ‘many called’ and ‘chosen few?’ The ‘chosen’ say, ‘Yes’ when God calls. While Isaac’s verbal response was not recorded, his actions spoke louder than words. (26:6): So Isaac dwelt in the land. He was truly chosen.
Reap: (26:12) Isaac chose to obey and dwell. This verse gives a remarkable point: Isaac sowed in the land and in the same year he reaped 100-fold - and the Lord blessed Him. He prospered with flocks, herds, and servants. Remember, this sowing and reaping was in a time of drought and famine. Yes, it is possible to prosper in crisis, but one must do as Isaac did.
When a person comes to Christ, they are not just part of their earthly family - they join God’s family. At the new birth, they become dual-citizens of their native land but also of God’s kingdom. And, remember this, the person of faith is not just tied to the local, national, and global economy; if they obey Biblical principles of finance, they are stakeholders in God’s ‘recession-proof’ economy.
Next time, we will explore this topic more, as well as how to handle opposition.
TO BE CONTINUED.
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