Friday, March 27, 2009

Day 12 - Faith for nothing.

Crazy title huh?

I was in church today, and I listened as we sang "Count your blessings" a song, obviously, about counting your many blessings.
Then we sang "I've got a mansion just over the hilltop" a song, just as obviously about the mansion we will have in Heaven.
Then, last but not least, we sang "Tell it to Jesus" a song, not so obviously about telling Jesus your troubles because He can help you with them.

And thinking back over my last blog posts, I see that I've done the exact same thing that those songs did. They focused on what faith can do for ME. It's all about ME isn't it?

There's nothing wrong with the songs, and nothing wrong with my posts. I just realized that in all these posts, I need to make a point to say there is good reason to have faith even if nothing more happened.

He saved my soul. He saved some of you as well. We have reason to have faith in Him and who He is, because He has once and assuredly proven it to us. That is reason enough for faith.
If He didn't cure cancer, help us land a job, fix our marriages, or give travelling mercies... I still have a reason to have faith.
Because I once was lost - and now I'm found.

Simple as that.

I don't have to have a mansion. I don't have to have someone make all my troubles alright. I don't have to have Him bless me, time and time again.

Because I once was lost - and now I'm found.

It's odd how easy it is to base our faith on what we get next. Yes, I know He saved me from eternal separation from Him, but since then I've prayed for such and such and didn't get it.
Yes, I know He saved me from eternal damnation, but since then I've prayed my husband would stop abusing me and he didn't.
Yes, I know He saved me from a burning lake of fire, but since then I've prayed for a new job and didn't get it.
Yes, I know He saved me from my addictions and gave me a new life, but since then...

I try and base my faith for tomorrow on tomorrow. When it should be based on yesterday. He authored my faith... He's forever writing the story of my faith, but years ago He authored my faith.

Because I once was lost - but now I'm found. If that's not reason enough to have faith - I don't know what is.

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

2 comments:

sojourner said...

While reading your post my mind kept thinking of His last words on the cross as recorded by John: "....'It is Finished.' With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit." (John 19:30) This provides the basis of our faith which is situated in yesterday yet provides the faith we need to face tomorrow.

Flyawaynet said...

Hi sojourner, thanks for visiting and especially for reminding me that Jesus Himself said "It is finished".
I wonder how often He repeats to us "It was fininshed" as we allow our minds to be entangled with so much. It's finished. It's over. The work has been done.