Believing
Terrible wicked things happen in this world. People pray to God and beg that he would stop them. Sometimes He does. Sometimes He does not. Loved ones suffer, good people are used, abused, and denied justice while evil hearts are rewarded. Saints pray year upon year for a dear one’s salvation yet to see any visible result. Christ’s Name is blasphemed. Evil takes power. Indeed, as we sometimes sing at Christmas, “Hate is strong and mocks the song / of peace on earth, good will to men.”
Against this backdrop God calls us to pray. He asks us to believe despite unanswered prayers, personal suffering, and a world of wickedness that seems to gain the upper hand. God calls us to believe… to believe not by evidence, not by blessedness, not by demonstration of miracles, but by faith. To simply trust despite being “harassed at every turn—conflicts on the outside, fears within” (2 Cor. 7:5).
This is what faith is: believing without visible sight, physical touch, audible sound. It is believing regardless… believing like Abraham believed: “Against all hope… without weakening… facing the facts… not wavering…”
Faith is scary because faith, to be faith, must exist in the presence of doubt. Philip Yancey cites Paul Tournier, “When there is no longer any opportunity for doubt, there is no longer any opportunity for faith either.” Faith is what must be grasped to conquer doubt.
This is what we are called to do this week: to believe God despite the deepness of the well and our having nothing with which to draw, despite the fewness of the fish against the vastness of the multitude, despite the roughness of the sea and the fearfulness yet within our hearts. Lincoln Baptist Church is God’s church, not mine, nor yours. This God is our God and we believe Him to be real, self actuating, loving, and strong. Him we entreat. Him we trust. Him we believe.
A glorious testimony awaits!
Press on…
To hear Don Longworth’s message, “The Storm Between Here and God’s Glory,” check out the links below…
To hear this past Sunday’s message, go to the Facebook page of Lincoln Baptist Church, or link to the livestream from the church website.
thebrokenrunner 