In His Perfect Time

“Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.” Matthew 8:2

Sometimes during great and terrible trials it can seem as if God is hiding His face, indifferent to our pain. The Gospel reading today is about a leper who approached Jesus, pleading, “If you wish, you can make me clean." And Jesus moved with pity, touched him and said, “I do will it. Be made clean." Is Jesus not the same yesterday, today and forever? 

Yes He is! Today, just because it seems He is not answering my prayers quickly for healing my lungs and my brother’s cancer, He is no different. I trust Him. My sisters and I are also praying for a peaceful resolution for the conflict with China, and protection for our nation from the evil intentions of selfish and traitorous men. We are asking for God’s favor for a long list of friends who are sick, and many who desperately need livelihood. It is taking too long, Lord! Are you hearing our pleas? 

We need to build up our faith all the time so that we can be strong when trials and challenges come. In 1855, some builders wanted to hang a suspension bridge over Niagara Falls but they could not figure out how to get the heavy cables across. Finally, Theodore G. Hulett said they would hold a kite flying competition. Whoever could send a kite across the 800 ft. wide river would win $5.00, a princely sum. 16-year-old Homan Walsh beat several other contenders. His kite string was tied across the gap, and was used as a pilot line to pull a stronger rope across from Canada. Several exchanges later, and a cable was finally brought across which became the foundation for the first ever suspension bridge. 

Our faith is like that, it starts out very weak and feeble. Over time, reading the Bible and feeding on God’s word daily, trusting Him, praying, our faith gets built up. It gets stronger and more firm, until the winds of affliction cannot harm it. We know with certainty God will come through for us in His perfect time!