THE 13TH HOUR

Don’t quit five minutes before the miracle. Probably one of the most, if not the most vexing spiritual question is why some prayers seemingly are not heard or if heard not answered. One of the main causes is we travel ninety percent of the way but then lose faith and accept defeat, surrendering to fear and depression. God does not run a fast food joint where we pray into a speaker/microphone, then stop at the window, and pick up our boon. God’s demonstration in our lives is directly proportional to our willingness, our faith; and if we find it lacking, we ask Him for strength to persevere. When we pray expecting to receive, we always do, though often in a manner unexpected.

Many demonstrations come in the 11th hour. Powerful demonstrations come in the 12th. In the 13th hour, when all seems lost, the race run, despair and failure whispering in our ear can be the moment of greatest triumph if we can only stand firm in faith. God is either everything or else He is nothing. This is either true or it is not. No gray areas, no sliding scale. God is the only source, though there are many avenues, they all lead back to Him who has all knowledge and power. This is either true or it is not. No gray areas, no sliding scale. Please, do not think for a moment that I am intoning in any way that this is simple or easy to do. There are few things in the course of our lives more difficult than keeping an even mind in the midst of seeming certain pain and disaster. One of the main aspects of keeping an even mind is holding to the truth that we demonstrate what we believe by our actions. It does no good whatsoever to speak of God’s love, knowledge and power if we fail to go to any lengths to demonstrate it, for in the spiritual realm half measures avail us nothing.

I am often reminded of the scene from the Indiana Jones movie where he is seeking the Holy Grail. He has reached a seemingly impassable chasm separating him from his goal. He opens up his fathers (wink) book and reads at this point he must step out in faith. Looking down at certain death, he closes his eyes and takes a step. The bridge was always there, he just could not see it. Had his faith failed in his father‘s words, he would have retreated, saying there is no way across and his father, who was dying and needed the grail to save him would have perished.

So the next time you feel faint, ready to give in to fear, to pull back from the edge for you can not see anyway across, see yourself in an Indiana Jones fedora, close your eyes and though trembling step out in faith.