Throughout the Bible, God is consistently described as being faithful. Many times when the Lord tells us to take leap of faith, like moving to a new city, taking up new profession, or donating all of your money towards the work of the Kingdom, we respond with astonishment and disbelief. We forget the faithfulness of the Lord and His deep desire to bless us. Often times, God uses those opportunities of obedience to bless us.
The following story is an excerpt from Storm Chaser: The Terry Law Story. It is one of many testimonies that show God’s faithfulness and desire to bless those who obey Him.
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“Who can give $100 in tonight’s offering?” Challenged Pastor Bob Taitinger one snowy Sunday evening that winter. “He wants to go back to African for another four years if we’re willing to send him!”
Who’s going to go first? Terry wondered, as he leaned over the balcony rail and scanned the congregation below. He knew where the “money” sat.
C’mon somebody! he thought. This guy wants to go serve God. Lord knows, I’d do it myself if I have more than 103 bucks….
Suddenly he felt a heat rising from his collar and rushing straight to his face.
Then you could give a hundred, couldn’t you? said an inner voice he had gradually come to recognize.
Lord, that would only leave me with three dollars to my name, he objected, thinking at once of the subzero weather outside. I’ll run out of bus money and spend the rest of the winter wading six miles through the snow each day.
Trust me and do it anyway, said the voice.
I’ll just raise my hand a little, and if the pastor doesn’t see me the first time, I won’t raise it again, he reasoned.
“Yes, I see that hand. Thank you, Terry!” said the pastor as soon as his fingertips cleared the balcony rail.
Three days later, on Wednesday morning, Terry handed his last few coins to the bus driver and rode to school. It was twenty degrees below zero when his final class ended that afternoon, and he dreaded the long walk home.
Might as well go to the chapel and pray a while, he told himself. His prayer life always improved a little when things went wrong.
“Lord, I did what you said,” he whispered, “or at least I think it was you. But I don’t know exactly what you want me to learn from it, unless it’s learning how to suffer.”
Terry thought about the long walk home, and decided he wanted to get it over with. He started to push himself up from the altar rail, but hesitated.
Stay a little longer.
He had stopped praying now and was just kneeling there, bracing himself for the cold, when he felt a coat sleeve brush against his shoulder. He opened his eyes and started to look up, but a sealed envelope lying on the altar in front of him caught his eye instead. Behind him, he heard the chapel door open and close.
Still on his knees, he picked up the envelope. It was fat. Someone must have written me a letter, he thought, as he slowly broke the seal and reached inside. Instead of a letter, there was money. Paper money.
Twenty, forty…fifty, fifty-one, fifty-two…fifty-three dollars. I’ve got fifty-three dollars! God, you did it- you came through!
Terry jumped to his feet and rushed out into the freezing weather to look for his benefactor, but seeing no one familiar, he headed for the bus stop. It might as well have been a warm spring day, for all the joy he felt.
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Dr. Terry Law’s personal story depicts again God’s consistent faithfulness! When we obey and take that leap, God’s blessings will be poured out. As Deuteronomy 28:2 says, “All these blessings will come on you and accompany you if you obey the LORD your God…” When God challenges us with a leap of faith, the best response we can have is obedience.