It's sad to admit, but we're too late to believe in God, take possession of what belongs to us and decide to obey the One who created us to be happy forever, without stumbling over any stone. We need to spend our time seeking the Lord, who will supply all our needs (Philippians 4:19). Otherwise, we will never achieve the project He has created for us. We have to believe only in God and Jesus (John 14:1).

          Sometimes we act like Gideon, son of Joash the Abiezrite, who, hearing the prophet sent in response to the Israelites' cry, whose message showed that it was their fault alone, decided to plant wheat on his family's land and was visited by the angel of the Lord. He told Gideon to go all the way, because He would deliver His people from the hand of the Midianites. Gideon believed, but he was very negative, so he asked for a double sign, using the test with the fleece of wool, and he was answered.

         Gideon was very religious, but he trembled at the challenge, which, by the way, was not a small one. In fact, he had delivered Israel from the confederacy of peoples that included the Midianites, Amalekites and the children of the East (see chapter 6 of the book of Judges). However, he did not yet have true faith in God, as has happened with brothers and sisters in Christ. If the Bible speaks clearly about the mission of God's servant, why doubt and ask the Lord for signs? Blessed is he who believes!

         Heaven's guidance for God's people is to be ready to act: So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; (James 1.19). When the Lord has spoken, carry out His command; otherwise, you will have sinned: If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.  (John 15.22). Following God's instructions brings countless gifts!

         By visiting us and showing us how to act, God is saying that nothing more needs to be done on His part. Our participation in the work begins when we receive God's testimony and ends with our gratitude for the blessing, even if it hasn't arrived yet. Our faith in the Lord and our love for Him will be rewarded. That's why we must never leave faith in the background, because it is through faith that the ancients pleased God, and we will please Him too.

         When the disciples failed to cast the demon out of the lunatic boy, the Master said to them: Then Jesus answered and said, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to Me.”  (Matthew 17.17 also present in Mark 9:19) He still gets angry at our delay in carrying out His orders, because His work has to be done as soon as we receive His Word. Never fail to assume what He makes known to you in the Scriptures.

       There are times when we act like Christ's first disciples, who went to Gethsemane to pray with Him, but they slept and couldn't keep watch for an hour. Then they heard from Jesus, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matthew 26.40b,41).

         In Christ, with love,

         R. R. Soares