May 27, 2008
The world is full of people
who will tell you that that they don't "believe in" or need faith or
God. In fact I heard two fellows having that very discussion at a restaurant the
other morning and the day before I was able to witness to a mother and son
questioning whether God is really
God. As for the men in the restaurant I didn't hear the whole conversation
because I was just picking up something to go and overhead them as I stood in
line. I just heard enough to pick up the gist of the conversation.
One of the men said,
"Who needs faith? I've lived my whole life without it."
His friend replied with a
sarcastic "Amen!" I was of the impression that they were making fun of
a mutual friend or acquaintance.
I wanted to (but didn't) ask
how they were managing to sit or drink their coffee. The chairs hold them up,
but only their faith in that fact allowed them to sit. If they didn't have faith
in the chair's safety they never would have sat down. They had faith that the
coffee cup wouldn't suddenly break and pour scalding liquid on them; otherwise
they never would have picked those cups up.
We have faith that we're
going to be alive in the morning or we would never set our alarms. We have faith
that we're going to be alive for the evening meal or we wouldn't plan the menu.
Whether we recognize it or
not, we all have faith in something. We simply couldn't function without it.
Even the most ardent atheist has faith. His faith is in the fact that he's right
in his position and that there is no God.
Faith is critical, without it
our lives would fall apart.
Even more critical though is
where you place your faith. If all your faith is in personal relationships, you
are going to get burned at times because people and circumstances change and you
will eventually get hurt.
If all your faith is in your
wealth, you'll worry about the value of your investments and while you can be
wise and diligent about your investment choices you could lose it all.
If your faith is in science
you’ll be shaken as new discoveries throw out old "facts".
If your faith is in your own
wisdom and abilities, you'll be destroyed if something happens to take them
away. When all my faith was in my abilities and I suffered my paralysis and the
doctors told me I would be dead or in a coma in 6 months, my whole world
collapsed. Only my faith in Christ sustained me.
There is only one unchanging
place to put our faith, in Christ.
Jesus Christ
is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13:8 NIV
God said to
Moses, "I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: `I AM
has sent me to you.' " Exodus 3:14 NIV
You may not understand all
you are going through in life, but if your faith is in God, you know that He
will bring you through it. Faith matters. Faith in God matters more. Faith in
Christ matters for all of eternity.
Until next time, may your
faith in Christ be multiplied. Your faith in god is never misplaced and
always has eternal benefits!
Be blessed!
Darrel
Mason