PARTIAL HEARING: THE STEP OF FAITH
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“For with God nothing shall be impossible.”—Luke 1:37
My mentors, the late Dr. Daisy Osborn, and her husband Dr. T.L. Osborn, have often said that they never received a call from God to do what they do. They saw the masses of hurting people the world-over, and read (i.e. heard) the words of Jesus in the Scripture, “Go” (Matthew 28:19). They didn’t have all the details of how, when, or where; but, they had heard the “what”—GO. Their step of faith is still being heard as the rest of their story is still unfolding in over 70 nations of the world today. Because of their step of faith and their obedience to God’s Word, millions of people have heard and experienced the gospel.
Many years ago, we were members of a small Interdenominational Church. We were learning how to hear from God, and how to step out in faith on what we had heard. During this time, I sewed most of our clothes. I had expended a tremendous amount of creative ability, time and effort into making me what we called in those days a, “Sunday-go-to-meeting” dress. I was delighted with my efforts, and I could hardly wait until Sunday arrived so that I could wear my dress. I had put my new, “Sunday-go-to-meeting” dress on for the final check in the mirror when I clearly had a knowing within myself that I was never going to wear this dress to church. I distinctly heard within myself to give this dress to a young woman that had visited our church the previous Sunday. I tried everything I could to talk myself out of the direction from the Lord. I tried to doubt, reason, and even called the pastor so that he would tell me I had heard wrong. Secretly, I was thinking before I called him that know one even knew her name, or where she lived; but, to my amazement the pastor knew her name, and even gave me directions to her house, and encouraged me to be obedient.
Finally I gave into the Lord’s leading, and took a step of faith by putting the dress in a box and wrapping it with beautiful wrapping paper. The Lord directed me to put a card on the box with the lady’s name, but I decided that I would enclose a note with the dress before I wrapped it. I kept thinking that I shouldn’t do it…it took a while, but finally I just didn’t. I delivered the box to the address; no one was at home, but two large dogs that I had to run past so that I wouldn’t get bitten. The next day was Sunday, and I had no beautiful dress to wear; however, when we got to church the young woman was wearing the dress. I was still not very excited about giving my dress away; especially when she got up to give her testimony, and she looked beautiful in it. However, my feelings changed after I heard her testimony. The young woman’s face was radiant, as she told how she and her husband wanted to come back to church so that they could accept Christ, but she didn’t have a dress to wear. She and her husband related how much finding the dress on the porch spoke to them about God’s love, and how He loved them so much that He would provide clothes for them to wear. Needless, to say the couple received Christ that day, and I learned a big lesson in hearing God even when I didn’t have a full understanding of what God was accomplishing.
There are times when the God speaks to you that He will reveal only part of the full
message. You may not know everything , but He is interested in your obedience and trust in Him. Just obey what you know to do and God will build your faith as you respond to Him. And remember that He knows the big picture.
Prayer—Lord, thank you for helping me to hear, and step out in faith even when your direction may not seem clear; I will trust that you know the big picture. I purpose to be like Mary when she heard that she was to be the carrier of your seed and say, “let it be to me according to your word,” in Jesus Name. Amen.
