IS FAITH AN ORPHAN DOCTRINE?

Faith.  It's so liable to be regarded, even relegated, to a soupy Sunday School term. Rather than carry impact, I wonder if it has become a mere orphan doctrine which awaits at the end of the long road after we've given effort our best shot.  Do we not give credence to mission or works or baptism as the bigger stuff; while faith seems to get an "oh yeah" nod of approval?

Faith is ever the call of the day...of my day.  Whether coming at us or going from us, disruption of life tends to bully.  How will the day go?  What are we to do with strain and stress?  When will "they" get a grip on life; because until "they" do, my week is frankly one long bummer.

Genuine faith, though, is an entirely different spiritual animal than what we might think. It brings into existence things that aren't yet.  Too, it takes our dyingness of each day and infuses a livingness in the very place we have groveled for more air.  Faith moves mountains and changes dispositions.

Faith is not to be an orphan doctrine that gets lip-service during our Bible discussions. It changes the world; my world, your world.  It is real.  Faith is invisible; yet true.

Faith never gives up.  When nothing hopeful can be seen or heard, believing that God knows and does marvel and wonder in the center of such times is both life-giving and life-changing.  Oh how I need this...and want it.

For every breakdown there is an oncoming breakopen.  When darkness prevails, morning is creeping closer.  I tend to forget.  A good thing about me is that the deeper I forget the closer remembering His provision tends to move my direction.  Remember, we don't move toward the sunrise.  It moves toward us.  Faith believes hope is getting closer.

You see, at the cemetery where Jesus was entombed a fact happened that changes where we live.  When he arose again, death died.  Yes...take this in...death died.  Your dark days?  Temporary.  My blues?  Will end.

Such comes about never because we are intellectually maneuveralistic.  It happens because we believe God can deliver when we don't even know what such a package would look like.  Faith is not insurance; but assurance.  Don't let the dark times rule. Rather, trust that they will one day end...again.  And when they do, the surprises of God will be awaiting.

Faith is not an orphan doctrine that has to hitch-hike in order to ride the gospel train.  No, it sits behind the steering wheel and takes us places we have never dreamt we could get to travel.