God Is Like Windows...
When you turn on your computer, unless it’s a Mac, you will see something like “Windows 2010” or another version of Windows running on your PC. When opening a program like Word, or Excel, or email, the Windows logo disappears. What’s happened? Windows is the operating system that allows you to work in programs like Word or Excel; it’s always there, it’s simply working in the background where you can’t see it. God is like that - like Windows. Working in the background where you can’t always see Him.
For 22 years of my marriage, God was working in the background. During those years, I considered myself spiritually single. By that I mean that I was alone in following the Lord. My husband, while he believed in God, wasn’t walking with the Lord. I continued to pursue God, was involved in church, tried to impart spiritual truths into our children’s lives on my own. It didn’t appear that anything spiritual was taking place in my husband’s life, though I prayed regularly for him. However, God was working in the background of my husband’s life, drawing him to Himself. One night, God’s background work became evident and my husband gave his heart to Jesus. I had the joy of watching God’s promise to me fulfilled.
There’s a great story in 2 Kings 6-7 that illustrates my point. The king of Syria had laid siege to Samaria, resulting in a great famine in the city. Food was so scarce that a donkey’s head was selling for 80 shekels of silver and dove droppings were selling for 5 shekels of silver. Pretty pricey for wild vegetables! It was so bad that Israel resorted to cannibalism (see 2 Kings 6:26-29). The king blamed the prophet, Elisha, and sent his assistant to kill him. Elisha prophesied that the famine would end within 24 hours.
“Then Elisha said, ‘Hear the word of the LORD. Thus says the LORD: Tomorrow about this time a seah of fine flour shall be sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley for a shekel, at the gate of Samaria.’”(2 Kings 7:1)
One shekel was the standard rate for flour and barley. In effect, Elisha prophesied that within 24 hours, God would restore the economy to what it had been before the siege and famine. To put it in our context, that would be like saying, “Within 24 hours, I will restore the economy so that a loaf of bread sells for 50 cents!” Impossible, right? The king’s assistant thought so and dismissed the word of the Lord through Elisha: “Could that happen even if God opened the windows of heaven?” (2 Kings 7:2) Elisha responded: “You’ll see it but won’t eat of it.”
Suddenly the scene shifted to 4 lepers sitting at the city gate waiting to die.
God was working in the background -
The lepers decided to go to the camp of the enemy in hopes of begging one final meal before they died. However, when they reached the Syrian camp, they found it empty of soldiers. What remained was all the food, clothing, weapons, horses, and donkeys. No Syrians, just spoil!
Long story short, when the Israelites discovered there was food to be had, they rushed out of the city to the enemy camp. The king’s assistant, standing by the gate, was trampled by the stampede of starving people and died. Just as the prophet had spoken - he saw it, but didn’t partake.
The word of the Lord through Elisha was fulfilled and the economy was restored (2 Kings 7:18).
You see, God was working in the background to fulfill his word! And he used 4 lepers to do it.
So, what are you believing God for? What promise are you believing God to fulfill, even while it may appear nothing is happening?
Take heart, because just like Windows, God is working in the background and circumstances of your life to fulfill His word. Keep believing, keep trusting, because God keeps His Word.