Faith

John 20:29 NASB
“Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, have you now believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.”

Hebrews 11:6 NASB
“And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for the one who comes to God must believe that He exists, and that He proves to be One who rewards those who seek Him.”

Do you ever wonder why God places such importance on faith, in Him?  I can’t help but think that a lot of it goes back to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, and the communion they both had with God prior to the fall. Because, in essence, what they both did was turn their back on what they had with God, to go it on their own. They didn’t value what they had with God, enough, to stay where they were. And all of this, is bringing us back, to what they once had.

And as we walk through the Bible, we see character after character believing in, trusting in, what God has said to them, that He would do, in spite of what they saw around them, that pointed to the contrary. Faith is the fundamental building block of a relationship with God. Believing in, trusting in, God.

And those of us who have walked in this journey with God for any significant amount of time, can easily recall in our memories, the numerous times that God has witnessed to us of His reality and how He orchestrated and built upon these witnesses over time, in special, highly personal ways. And so many of these witnesses to us, of His reality, are just so beautiful, that it boggles the mind that He would care that much to guide us along the way. But He has and He does.

I’ve mentioned before about what I call the telephone poles of these witnesses, as we walk this path we are on with God, and how God continually stretches the distance of these telephone poles of witness, so that our faith is strengthened and grows in Him. I call it “the stretching”, where the distance keeps getting bigger between those poles and we build our trust in the unseen. It isn’t always easy, and I am sure, if you are like me, I sometimes long to see another one of those telephone poles appear, that just totally wipes away any doubt that I might have with regard to His still caring for me. But always, always, God gives us just enough, to keep us moving in His direction. It could be any one of a hundred different things, the assurance of His Holy word that we read in the Bible, a confirmation of another believer, added strength and guidance when we are totally bottomed out, and the list goes on and on. Personal, specific, caring.

Sometimes I have to remind myself of what God has shown me and done for me, and those that I care for in the past, especially when I was just beginning my walk with Him and I really didn’t comprehend what this union with God was really all about. Sometimes now I just need to feed on His word, focus on His internal witness and trust in Him, in spite of what I see all around me.

I can tell you, there is a part of me that thinks I could do with a little less stretching. But in spite of how many times I have failed Him, He has always, always, been there for me. Sometimes that overwhelms me because Jesus deserves so much more than I often times give Him. 

I will be 77 years old next month. I wish I could say that I have successfully completed a good number of the lessons He has taught me over the years but that isn’t true. In fact, the older I get, the more clearer it becomes just how different I am from Jesus. The word “grace” has really taken root. Not to mention words like “mercy” and God’s forgiveness and His steadfast faithfulness, in spite of a seemingly endless stream of expanding shortfalls that flow from me and within me. Sometimes I have a hard time understanding how He puts up with us, but He does. So much so that our heavenly Father sent us His Son, who showed us of the Father and spoke the words “for God so loved the world”. The cross, yes that much. 

And it was Jesus who told us that because He lives, we shall also live. Wrap your mind and heart around that reality. But I believe, Jesus is God’s only begotten Son, He is exactly who He says He is and the unfolding reality Jesus told us about is not over yet. One day, one glorious day, I shall know as I am known. I believe.

Worthy is the Lamb! Blessings!