When we had our first training for Cru interns, one wise young woman stood before us and told us about the trials ahead in the support-raising process. She gave us some super solid advice that I have been clinging to since that weekend in April. She read us a portion of Isaiah 40, and I have had to go back to that chapter at least once a week since then. My NLT translation has the heading The LORD Has No Equal above this passage, and thankfully, our Lord has been showing me just what that means. (I bolded the parts that particularly stick out to me when I read it.)
12 Who else has held the oceans in his hand?
Who has measured off the heavens with his fingers?
Who else knows the weight of the earth
or has weighed the mountains and hills on a scale?13 Who is able to advise the Spirit of the Lord?
Who knows enough to give him advice or teach him?
14 Has the Lord ever needed anyone’s advice?
Does he need instruction about what is good?
Did someone teach him what is right
or show him the path of justice?
15 No, for all the nations of the world
are but a drop in the bucket.
They are nothing more
than dust on the scales.
He picks up the whole earth
as though it were a grain of sand.
16 All the wood in Lebanon’s forests
and all Lebanon’s animals would not be enough
to make a burnt offering worthy of our God.
17 The nations of the world are worth nothing to him.
In his eyes they count for less than nothing—
mere emptiness and froth.
are but a drop in the bucket.
They are nothing more
than dust on the scales.
He picks up the whole earth
as though it were a grain of sand.
16 All the wood in Lebanon’s forests
and all Lebanon’s animals would not be enough
to make a burnt offering worthy of our God.
17 The nations of the world are worth nothing to him.
In his eyes they count for less than nothing—
mere emptiness and froth.
18 To whom can you compare God?
What image can you find to resemble him?
19 Can he be compared to an idol formed in a mold,
overlaid with gold, and decorated with silver chains?
20 Or if people are too poor for that,
they might at least choose wood that won’t decay
and a skilled craftsman
to carve an image that won’t fall down!
What image can you find to resemble him?
19 Can he be compared to an idol formed in a mold,
overlaid with gold, and decorated with silver chains?
20 Or if people are too poor for that,
they might at least choose wood that won’t decay
and a skilled craftsman
to carve an image that won’t fall down!
21 Haven’t you heard? Don’t you understand?
Are you deaf to the words of God—
the words he gave before the world began?
Are you so ignorant?
22 God sits above the circle of the earth.
The people below seem like grasshoppers to him!
He spreads out the heavens like a curtain
and makes his tent from them.
23 He judges the great people of the world
and brings them all to nothing.
24 They hardly get started, barely taking root,
when he blows on them and they wither.
The wind carries them off like chaff.
Are you deaf to the words of God—
the words he gave before the world began?
Are you so ignorant?
22 God sits above the circle of the earth.
The people below seem like grasshoppers to him!
He spreads out the heavens like a curtain
and makes his tent from them.
23 He judges the great people of the world
and brings them all to nothing.
24 They hardly get started, barely taking root,
when he blows on them and they wither.
The wind carries them off like chaff.
25 “To whom will you compare me?
Who is my equal?” asks the Holy One.
Who is my equal?” asks the Holy One.
26 Look up into the heavens.
Who created all the stars?
He brings them out like an army, one after another,
calling each by its name.
Because of his great power and incomparable strength,
not a single one is missing.27 O Jacob, how can you say the Lord does not see your troubles?
O Israel, how can you say God ignores your rights?28 Have you never heard?
Have you never understood?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of all the earth.
He never grows weak or weary.
No one can measure the depths of his understanding.
29 He gives power to the weak
and strength to the powerless.
30 Even youths will become weak and tired,
and young men will fall in exhaustion.
31 But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
They will walk and not faint.
Who created all the stars?
He brings them out like an army, one after another,
calling each by its name.
Because of his great power and incomparable strength,
not a single one is missing.27 O Jacob, how can you say the Lord does not see your troubles?
O Israel, how can you say God ignores your rights?28 Have you never heard?
Have you never understood?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of all the earth.
He never grows weak or weary.
No one can measure the depths of his understanding.
29 He gives power to the weak
and strength to the powerless.
30 Even youths will become weak and tired,
and young men will fall in exhaustion.
31 But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
They will walk and not faint.
God has no equal. Who am I to tell Him how much financial support I should have in-hand today? Who am I to question why I'm "behind" while others are "ahead"? God doesn't need me to tell Him what needs to happen for me to go to Ghana. He already knows, and He promises to be my Provider.
So although I'm often weary and nervous about the tedious process of raising support, I know that God sees my troubles and understands them better than I can. I am so thankful that I'm at 30%. There are numerous reasons to be.
1) God has brought in 30% of my goal! Only He could do that.
2) He has blessed me with awesome people through this process. My team rocks. My partners are amazing. And these people are speaking truth into my life about this process.
3) Only God can make the rest of my support come in. Seriously, there is no way that I can make this happen by August 1. Only He can. That means that only He can be glorified through this process. Not me.
4) Regardless of where I am at financially, God is still God. He still provides. He still loves. I find joy in Him because of who He is, not because of my circumstances.
So although this is a difficult refining process, God is Lord of all. He has no equal. I have a reason to rejoice in Him. I will trust in Him. And He will give me strength and understanding. I cannot do this, but God can.
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