“By faith . . . ,” these are two of the most beautiful, and most difficult, words in the Bible.
These words are beautiful, because when we recognize that faith is one of God’s gifts to us, and that we receive all His other gifts by faith, we recognize that salvation is all about what God does. From first to last God acted out of His gracious love for us, creating, sustaining, blessing, forgiving, restoring, and all of it is taken hold of by faith.
These words are difficult because in this world we want evidence; “Seeing is believing.” So we start asking questions: How could God create the world in six days? How can Jesus be both God and man? How did Jesus’ death pay for all our sins? How can the dead rise? We also ask questions like: Why did God allow my son to die? Will I be able to overcome cancer? How can I get through this difficult time? Rationally, many of these questions could cause us to throw our hands up in despair. Faith, however, takes hold of God’s promises. It’s not hope for the sake of hoping; whistling in the dark. It’s throwing ourselves into our Heavenly Father’s hands and praying, “I don’t know how all this turns out, but I trust You.”
We want to see the evidence, God however simply says, “Believe me. Remember the Cross.”
The author of this book offers us a list of people who did exactly what we’re talking about here. They believed God. They took Him at His Word and trusted. This chapter is sometimes called, “The Hall of Fame of Faith,” as we read, over and over again, “by faith . . .” God’s people did awesome and wonderful things. They could not see the outcome of their choices, but their faith clung to God and He saw them through.
Not that they all received all the things they were hoping for! No indeed! Remember, this world is not our home. We are waiting for something better – a city whose architect and builder is God Himself. This is the place Jesus went to prepare for us so that we can be where He is. Even though we can’t see it now, we are waiting for something more permanent, more real, than anything that we can experience right now in this world, because all the things of this world will be destroyed. Earthly goods rust and rot, but God’s gifts that we receive by faith last forever. God is urging us to live for those gifts, to take hold of them by faith, and know that we will receive them.
I recently had the opportunity to see Steven Curtis Chapman in concert. Chapman is a supporter of adoption, and has several adopted children from China. A couple years ago tragedy struck the Chapman’s when one of their sons accidentally ran over and killed their 5 year old, Maria. Chapman talks and sings about the processes of grieving and living in faith. He and his family have had to let go of Maria and trust God’s promise that she is with Him in Heaven, and that they will be together again in Jesus’ presence. How hard that must be! The physical evidence shouts, “The End!” Yet faith holds on to God’s promises and in the face of pain, doubt, questions, fear and so much more says, “No, this is only the beginning and God has more and better in store.”
Father in Heaven, thank You for giving me faith in Jesus through the work of Your Holy Spirit. I don’t always live by faith, and I sometimes prefer earthly evidence as my guide for life. Help me to overcome doubt, and trust in You in every situation. And help me to live in faith. Amen.
These words are beautiful, because when we recognize that faith is one of God’s gifts to us, and that we receive all His other gifts by faith, we recognize that salvation is all about what God does. From first to last God acted out of His gracious love for us, creating, sustaining, blessing, forgiving, restoring, and all of it is taken hold of by faith.
These words are difficult because in this world we want evidence; “Seeing is believing.” So we start asking questions: How could God create the world in six days? How can Jesus be both God and man? How did Jesus’ death pay for all our sins? How can the dead rise? We also ask questions like: Why did God allow my son to die? Will I be able to overcome cancer? How can I get through this difficult time? Rationally, many of these questions could cause us to throw our hands up in despair. Faith, however, takes hold of God’s promises. It’s not hope for the sake of hoping; whistling in the dark. It’s throwing ourselves into our Heavenly Father’s hands and praying, “I don’t know how all this turns out, but I trust You.”
We want to see the evidence, God however simply says, “Believe me. Remember the Cross.”
The author of this book offers us a list of people who did exactly what we’re talking about here. They believed God. They took Him at His Word and trusted. This chapter is sometimes called, “The Hall of Fame of Faith,” as we read, over and over again, “by faith . . .” God’s people did awesome and wonderful things. They could not see the outcome of their choices, but their faith clung to God and He saw them through.
Not that they all received all the things they were hoping for! No indeed! Remember, this world is not our home. We are waiting for something better – a city whose architect and builder is God Himself. This is the place Jesus went to prepare for us so that we can be where He is. Even though we can’t see it now, we are waiting for something more permanent, more real, than anything that we can experience right now in this world, because all the things of this world will be destroyed. Earthly goods rust and rot, but God’s gifts that we receive by faith last forever. God is urging us to live for those gifts, to take hold of them by faith, and know that we will receive them.
I recently had the opportunity to see Steven Curtis Chapman in concert. Chapman is a supporter of adoption, and has several adopted children from China. A couple years ago tragedy struck the Chapman’s when one of their sons accidentally ran over and killed their 5 year old, Maria. Chapman talks and sings about the processes of grieving and living in faith. He and his family have had to let go of Maria and trust God’s promise that she is with Him in Heaven, and that they will be together again in Jesus’ presence. How hard that must be! The physical evidence shouts, “The End!” Yet faith holds on to God’s promises and in the face of pain, doubt, questions, fear and so much more says, “No, this is only the beginning and God has more and better in store.”
Father in Heaven, thank You for giving me faith in Jesus through the work of Your Holy Spirit. I don’t always live by faith, and I sometimes prefer earthly evidence as my guide for life. Help me to overcome doubt, and trust in You in every situation. And help me to live in faith. Amen.
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