Believing is seeing By Doug Graham Drought threatened the crops of a small rural community. A pastor instructed his congregation saying, “Nothing will save this year’s crop except a solemn season of prayer and fasting. This week fast and pray and believe God for a miracle, a miracle rainstorm next Sunday!” The members of the small farm church did exactly as their pastor suggested. They fasted and prayed all week and on Sunday morning they returned to church. But when the pastor observed his parishioners arriving to church he was furious and refused to even conduct the service. “Go back home,” he said to the people. “None of you has faith to believe for a miracle.” “Pastor,” they protested, “what do you mean? We fasted and prayed all week for God to deliver a miracle thunderstorm today.” “Then where are your umbrellas?” the pastor asked. Philip Yancey in his book Disappointed With God says, “Faith means believing in advance what will only make sense in reverse.” Or as has often been said about faith, “Some things have to be believed to be seen.” “Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1, NIV). Faith is something God has invested into each of our lives, and it is our choice to either store it away (hoping never to lose it), or release it and see it grow. An explorer discovered an ancient sundial. Recognizing its value, he restored it to its original condition and put it in a museum where it would be shielded from the elements — including the sun! Although he valued it, he never used it. Faith that is truly valued is faith that is constantly exposed to the elements of life. What is faith prompting you to risk? What is faith begging you to step out and believe God for? Expose your faith to some of the challenging elements of life. Give your faith some breathing room and watch your trust in God take flight.
Posted on: Mon, 24 Nov 2014 11:00:00 +0000
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