Abraham was relieved when he was promised by God to be given a child. He happily changed his name from Abram to Abraham to tally with this promise. Years passed and there was no show. He tried to assist God, and had Ishmael. God allowed Abraham's mistake of having Ishmael. Nevertheless, God remained faithful with His promise, and at the appointed time, Isaac was born to Abraham and Sarah. When David was anointed King, little did he know that it spelt the onset of his wilderness life. He was chased by Saul and lived in caves, escaping death by a hair's breadth. Joseph shared with relish his dreams about becoming a great person. However, his joy was short lived as he became a slave and later languished in prison.
God sometimes leaves out details of all the frustrations we may encounter as we journey towards the fulfilment of His promises to us. Some of the Psalms of David tell of his misery and anguish when he went through the wilderness, running away from Saul. With Joseph, we are only told of his life as a slave, the favour that was on his life from when he was with his father, then through his stay at Potiphar's, and finally, when in prison. We read about how he continued to fear God, and how he allowed God to use him, even in his affliction. It is almost as though he did not feel discouraged and forsaken. But when he was about to reconcile with his brothers , he cried bitterly. A scene that told many untold stories.
I do not think any prior knowledge of the pain ahead of Him could adequately prepare Jesus for the cross. As He humanly felt the pangs of crucifixion, He felt so let down and forsaken by God His Father. However, at the appointed time, each one of these characters received God's promise unto them. The waiting period before God's appointed time can be wrought with great inhibitions that happen to spell the exact reverse of God's promise unto us. We may despair, but must not give up, as these labour pains will give birth to our elevation. The same oil that brought greatness to David, also brought him pain. The same dreams that stimulated Joseph's brothers to cause him much pain, also brought Joseph favour and promotion. The cross spelt the entrance to doom and glory for Jesus.
The in-betweens are usually the most challenging. Nevertheless, if we endure these difficult times, and live through them, we shall then be eligible to ascend to the place of elevation. After the three Hebrew boys had endured the blazing furnace, they were promoted accordingly. The in-betweens are an essential part of our testimony . They complete our story, elaborate our deliverance and garnish our promotion.
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