“Don’t ask Me ‘How …?, ask Me ‘How …?’”
Zechariah asked the angel, "How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years." Luke 1:18 (NIV)
"How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?" Luke 1:34 (NIV)
Sometime ago while planning for our ministry’s (Network of African Descendant Ministers International – NADMI) annual conference, we had serious financial challenges both in the family and the ministry. This was the first major conference we had and we were going to need about $70,000.00 for the bills. Meanwhile, we had less than $10,000.00 in pledges, not even in cash! We did not have the financial wherewithal to contribute as a family. We had not even paid our mortgage bill for that month, nor purchased back-to-school items for our children.
At this point, the conference was scheduled to take place in two months. I was already feeling overwhelmed as I thought that we had bitten more than we could chew with this conference. One night, I woke up to pray about the situation. Not long after I began to pray, I heard the Lord say, “ Don’t ask Me ‘How is this possible? Ask Me ‘How do I do it’” What a relief! God had just reprimanded me about my unbelief (Don’t you just love when Daddy does that to you?) Instead of doubting if this is possible, I should ask Him for the logistics.
He immediately took my mind to Zecharias’ and Mary’s responses to the angel in Luke 1:18 and 34 respectively. I saw that Zecharias’ “How can this be?” was based on unbelief. Listen to his comment, “My wife and I are old and passed child bearing, how can it be possible?” The angel had to shut his mouth for the season so that his unbelief would not deter God’s agenda for the coming Messiah. John needed to come first. Mary’s response on the other hand was a quest for procedure. Process. Logistics. “How can it be since I am only a virgin?” The angel graciously explained how it would be done to her.
My challenge to us: When we are faced with a seemingly daunting or intimidating Kingdom assignment, rather than question God in unbelief, we should have a Board meeting with the Father, Son and Holy Ghost for instructions on logistics. Remember the ten spies.
By the way, the NADMI conference was a huge success. People were blessed, and bills were paid in full. PTL!