Tuesday, February 17, 2015

FAITH'S CONFLICT

Faith isn't a step in religion's organizational redemptive approach.  It is a big word with bigger backing.  Faith is the assurance of things hoped for; the conviction of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1).  I'm not so sure I haven't developed more of a wishful wanting rather than a holy conviction of what God can do.

Is my faith embedded in the fact that Jesus, once dead, has arisen?  Do I possess that kind of certainty about my work/our work with God?  Or, do I seem to have a Santa version of faith that wants things; wants answers, wants blessings, wants effectiveness?

No.  I believe I have developed a kind of faith that is based more upon what I can imagine for God than what God can imagine for me.  While I love Ephesians 3:20, I seem to hedge by playing risky faith safe.

Note the fascinating workings of Jesus.  Too, scan the moves of faith in Hebrews 11.  If we were a board of directors, would we have launched into these no-verifiable-certainty-this-will-pan-out modes?  Or, would we have wished for great to happen; yet, would not have ventured into such silly looking traps?

If we who believe Jesus is raised from the dead do not change our routine and anemic approaches to faith we are going to offer the world nothing more than Santa wishes. We will just hope we get the gifts for which we had prayed.

Faith presents deep conflict.  Shall we go through the motions of each day and reach the end concluding it had been done by faith (when what we really mean is that whatever happens happens)?  Or, shall we approach needs that can't be manipulated by man's organizational skill and anticipate God's wild provision?

I pray for three things consistently:
  1. That God's glory would show up in the media.
  2. That God would show us things about Himself that no one ever thought to ask.
  3. That God would convert another Saul of Tarsus; namely Bill Maher.
These items are not the epitome of prayer opportunities.  Neither am I the only one that prays by faith.  I simply list what I do to give those who would like to be challenged in faith as to one (of millions) possible scenario.

Faith is treacherous conflict.  Man wants to see God work; but we hesitate.  We fear. I'm here to cheer you on.  Take a look at the world's needs for God.  Pray for Him to interact among us when we couldn't take a wild guess as to where or how or when or who or why.

Faith's conflict is that it wishes to function from the talent of the Creator rather than from the frailty of the created.  May we release ourselves into the fascinating world of believing when few indicators suggest our ideas would work.


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