Is God reliable?

Going to college did not come easy for me. I worked for few years to save some money before I made that venture. Actually the amount of money I had with me then was not sufficient for college. I took the risk by faith trusting that my “new found” God would help me to get through it.

I was a young believer then. I had the faith to move mountains but I didn’t know how to ascertain God’s will. I believed with all my heart that if it’s the will of God to bless me to study overseas, then there would be nothing but success.

The problem I had at that time was how to know if it was indeed God’s will? I asked my colleague, who is a faithful Christian, this question and he simply told me if nobody objected my plan of going overseas to study, I should be quite sure it was a blessing from God. “God speaks through people,” he said.

I listened to my colleague and trusted in God without a doubt and there I was, after a few years of hardship and endurance, not only had I finished my degree with two majors faster than most students, but I was also blessed with two lovely daughters.

Now my daughters have grown up and they are ready to enter college this coming fall. All these years I thought I could be their provider so that they don’t have to go to college with the same experience I had before. I wanted to make their lives easier but God apparently had a different plan for us. It seems like God desires us to depend on Him rather than on our bank account.

I am a good financial planner and you don’t need to be a good mathematician either to calculate how much money is needed for two persons (excluding myself) to go to college. Whenever I thought about this matter, I was reluctant to comply with God’s will. I was not ready to give up my job. I told God to wait; I had responsibilities to fulfill. Look God, you don’t understand. I don’t mind going through the same experience like before, depending on you for provision, but who will take care of them?

I didn’t hear God said, “I will.” He just let me reasoned with Him and let me recalled all my past experiences with Him. I believed the Holy Spirit had guided me all along in my decision making process. He helped me to eventually see God’s purpose in my life—again I didn’t hear He said, “I will.” However, He led me to see God’s purpose. Since then, I knew I couldn’t continue with what I was doing anymore for God, my heavenly Father, wants me to walk in accordance with His will.

I don’t know right now what the future will hold for me but if God pursues you, you better don’t be like Jonah thinking that you can escape. God, as we see in the Bible, sometimes sends a pursuer to go after the one He calls till the person surrenders to Him. The pursuer can be in any form; it need not necessary be a big fish, sometimes it is that little whisper that will get your attention. It all depends on how long you want to play hide and seek with Him.

Scripture to ponder: Matthew 7:9-11
"Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!