Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Weaving a Basket of Faith


“Everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith” (I John 5:4).

One Sunday our pastor spoke on the Old Testament story of Moses and the basket that his mother Jochabed made for him. In faith she wove this basket to hide him among the reeds, hoping that the life of her son would be saved from Pharaoh’s death edict. Her basket ultimately saved not only her son but the entire Israelite nation as well when Moses delivered them out of Egypt.

I began thinking about my life of illness and pain and how it has affected my faith. When I first began dealing with these issues, my faith was quite weak. I doubted God’s wisdom in allowing many difficulties and disappointments. The faith basket I began weaving was very small – barely large enough to grasp during my times of turmoil – but it kept me from totally sinking. As I have continued on this journey with God over the years, my weaving skills have increased. I still have holes of weakness, but the weaving is tighter and my hands are tougher now than when I began. Through the years of suffering this basket has grown. It is still not large enough to keep me from falling out every now and then, but it keeps me afloat through the rapids and waves that pain and suffering bring.

Just as God used Jochabed’s basket of protection for deliverance from death, He is using my basket of faith for deliverance from my fears, discouragement, and hopelessness. Every aspect of my life is an opportunity to enlarge and strengthen this basket, provided I am willing to keep weaving. Many times I become tired and want my basket to be finished. One day it will be done. This basket of faith will carry me right to the shores of eternity, and I will go from faith to sight – into the arms of God. Until then, He and I will keep weaving.

Prayer: Gracious God, give me the strength as well as the desire to continue weaving and walking this life of faith, trusting You each and every moment until I see your face. Amen.

4 comments:

  1. praise god for increasing the measures of our faith! i think chronic pain sufferers nod their heads continuously during sermons from the book of James... haha.

    bless you, girl, through your trials. i'm praying for you and your husband right now - i know god allows you to be tested much because you have much GREATER potential. lean on Him, love!
    -rebekah

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  2. Rebekah, thank you so much for your encouragement and prayers. You remind me of Timothy in the Bible, having such faith and spiritual maturity at a younger age. That is a real testimony to God's power in your life and a willingness on your part to be used by Him. Blessings and peace to you,

    Bronlynn

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  3. I just found your blog by accident -- wait a minute it was no accident. I am suffering with a severe fibro flare right now. I just found out my step daughter is pregnant and was looking for a pattern to weave a Moses Basket for the new addition to our family. I know I can buy one, but I feel I could weave one with prayer as I work and surround this new life with a hedge of prayer; I am a sculptor and painter. I live with pain everyday as you do and please know you will now be one I will add to my prayer list each day. If you can help me, thanks in advance. If not, God bless and keep you my sister.

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  4. I am very thankful if any words God has given me are a help to you. What a wonderful thing to be weaving! I can imagine it would be very difficult to maintain your work with fibro. I would be happy to talk with you more. Maybe email would be better? Thank you for your prayers and I will be praying for you as well.

    Blessings and peace this Christmas,
    Bronlynn

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