Stephen is a good guy.
He works hard, minds his own business and is getting ready to marry the love of his life.
Stephen takes scripture literally so he’s decided to wait for the wedding night to consummate his marriage.
A week before the wedding, he gets a message from his soon-to-be-bride that she’s pregnant. Devastated he calls off the wedding. He doesn’t discuss the details even though he would be justified in destroying the reputation of his ex-bride.
Edem is a good student. He’s always in the top ten in his class. It’s the week to his final exams. This exam will determine whether or not he’s going to achieve his life-long ambition of being admitted into medical school. The night before the biology paper, his friend wakes him up. Someone with connections in the exams department has a copy of the paper they will be taking in a few hours.
Edem is a nice guy so his friends want to share it with him but there’s a problem. Edem doesn’t believe in cheating so he refuses to look at the answers that can open up his future. Morning comes and the paper is tough but he does his best. At the end of the day, he makes a B in biology, the only one to do so among his friends – all of who make A’s. Making a B means he doesn’t get a spot in medical school.
Juliet is going on 36. She has it all; a great career, a beautiful apartment and a charming personality. What she doesn’t have is a husband or a boyfriend and there doesn’t seem to be anyone in her age group who is available. She meets Joe on the job. He’s accomplished, attractive and charismatic and he’s crazy about her. The only problem? He’s married.
Juliet has been told she has a narrow fertility window and that if she ever wants to have children, it’ll be best to have them now. She has no plan and wouldn’t mind having children that look like Joe. Joe of course would be happy to oblige. But Juliet can’t bring herself to do what she believes would be a betrayal of her values so she doesn’t.
Depending on your point of view, these people are naïve, wimpy or downright stupid. You just can’t understand why they would walk away when opportunity comes begging. After all, even if God has reservations, they can always ask for forgiveness after the fact can’t they?
You know what the bible calls them?
Pure in heart.
Guileless, selfless, trying to do the best they can in very difficult situations.
What does Jesus promise those people?
They will see God.
I’m not too sure many of us fantasize about seeing God. If Isaiah’s reaction on seeing God is anything to write home about, most folks would rather stay away1.
But what if seeing God is not as literal as what happened with Isaiah? What if it has to do with seeing God move amidst murky circumstances?
When Israel stood between the red sea and a charging Egyptian army, they saw God.
When Elijah poured gallons of water on wood as he duelled with Baal’s prophets, he saw God.
When Daniel was thrown into a den with hungry lions, he saw God.
Only God can make the impossible happen. It is said that if you’re protecting yourself you have no need for God’s protection. When you do what’s right, even though it leaves you exposed, you can trust that divine intervention will come.
I can’t say it’ll come soon.
I can’t say how it’ll come.
I don’t have those details
What I do know is that it will.
God is a God of justice and you will see Him when He makes things right.
Don’t give up.
1 Isaiah 6 v 5