The harbour, the sea, lit skyscrapers and fireworks—the view, spectacular. I stood in awe, not only of the view but also of the faithfulness of God. After over three months of waiting in Thailand, we finally set foot in Singapore; it felt like I got home. A new place, a new adventure, a new season.
Like I mentioned in my previous articles, my family and I had a pretty long stopover in Thailand. This was just after my father’s death. Initially, we were looking for entry dates to Singapore from India but we did not get any. Thailand had entry dates though. So, we reached Thailand on April 26 and our plan was to head to Singapore on May 16. Unfortunately, on May 11, Singapore closed its borders for EP (Employment Permit) holders. Many encouraged us saying that the waiting is a season of refreshing—a break that God gave us after all that we have been through. Although we believed in God’s plans for our lives, we were so ready to settle, unwrap our luggage. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay in Thailand. We not only got a lot more time to pray but also study His Word. However, deep down we knew that it was not our final destination. Our Thai visa was getting expired on August 8 and Joel’s employment visa, on August 30. Joel’s company appealed a few times; the last one was mid-July, to which the officials replied—‘Thank you for your patience and understanding; we are working on opening the borders safely.’
By now, we were getting restless. We were clueless; we did not know what to do or where to go. It was during this time that I read Answers to Prayers by George Müller. As I flipped through the pages, something shifted inside of me. I had no idea how long we would be in Thailand but my prayers became persistent, relentless and faithful. Joel and I began to fast and pray and seek God’s face; we specifically prayed that God would give us His peaceful presence with all the uncertainties around us. And Voila! We had one of those ‘suddenly’ moments—we were allowed to enter Singapore on August 11. I still remember our expressions when Joel announced the good news to us—our first miracle during this season of waiting! Our daughter Sairah burst into a song, ‘What a mighty God we serve…’ And together, as a family, we started declaring the same—Mighty God, what a mighty God is He. This was only the beginning. God just started giving us miracles after miracles from that point. This boosted our faith and the intensity of our prayers grew exponentially. We started trusting God with every tiny detail of our lives. All of us had negative RT-PCR tests and although we had some minor hurdles along the way, we reached Singapore safely. Just in time—neither too early nor too late.
As I stand here in my balcony—recalling my Heavenly Father’s goodness and pinching myself every now and then reminding myself that all this is true—I whisper the words of Müller, “My heart is at rest; I am satisfied with you God.”
I urge you to read his narratives in Answers to Prayers— it is revelatory! While reading the book, I was reminded of the parable of the persistent widow who kept knocking on the door of the unjust judge.
Luke 18: 1-8
Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2 He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. 3 And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’
4 “For some time he refused. But finally, he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’”
6 And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”
The importunate widow teaches us the importance of seeking or pursuing something boldly and constantly. It raises the question, do we seek God, relentlessly? However, through the parable, Jesus was not putting God in the bad light. God is not unjust and never will He be. He is the same just God yesterday, today and forever. The point that Jesus was putting forward is that—if an unjust judge would eventually grant justice to someone who constantly kept knocking on his door, how much more will our gracious Heavenly Father do for His children. Always remember this: God is willing to ANSWER us, to redeem, vindicate, restore and refresh us. But, we must have faith and we must ask Him. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and PETITION, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God (Philippians 4:6).
Mark 9: 23b
“Everything is possible for one who believes.”
You and I need to have the faith that never gives up. The kind of faith that prays constantly; the kind that just won’t stop. The opposite of faith isn’t doubt; it is CONTROL. Don’t limit God’s power or try to control the miracle He has for you. Trust in God’s sovereignty! He won’t let you down. In the past couple of months, I have fully absorbed the essence of the aforementioned. As a matter of fact, now, Joel and I pray for other families who are stranded the same way that we were.
Hebrews 4:14-16
14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven,[a] Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathise with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
The verse above requires us to pray to our great and perfect intercessor Who is constantly praying to our Father God on our behalf. What an assurance! So, pray without ceasing because Jesus never stops interceding for you. Surely, there are times when we feel like our prayers are unheard; we feel buried like we are in a dark obscure place. But we are actually PLANTED there. The darkness is but for a season. Soon, you shall grow into a testimony. Just trust the Great Gardener; He’s got you.
Always remember: Your ministry sprouts from your brokenness. And your testimony, from your restoration.
Consider this:
Relationship: If you want to know God intimately—Pray! The more time you spend with Him, the more you know Him. The more you know Him, the more you trust Him. The more you trust Him, the more you experience Him.
Reveal: Pray that the Lord reveals areas that you need to work on. We are not perfect and we need cleansing on a daily basis. However, it is important to know those hidden corners and crevices that need some cleaning.
Restore: Our Heavenly Father is a God of restoration and compassion. Run to Him! He will not only restore but make you better and help you be rooted in Him.
Redeem: Only our saviour has the power to redeem us. We need His saving grace every day for all the battles we fight in the spiritual as well as the worldly realm. The battle belongs to the Lord.