WHAT IS FAITH?

WHAT IS FAITH?

 Faith is a courageous walk in a total blackout with the constant conviction that there shall be light.  To wit, faith is not just a mind thing; it is actually a heart thing.  Some feel sure that faith is solely the result of one’s increase in understanding, but just the opposite is true.  In the words of St. Augustine, “Understanding is the reward of faith.  Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand.”

 Faith is empowered to penetrate darkness, simply because it ignores it.  Consider the story of a young boy who was forced to flee to the rooftop of his family’s burning home.  His father stood outside on the yard below with outstretched arms, pleading with his son, “Jump!  I'll catch you!  Jump!”  He knew that his son had to jump in order to save his life.  But all that the young child could see were flames, smoke and blackness.  He was literally petrified and paralyzed at the thought of leaping from that high pinnacle into the darkness below.  His father kept yelling: “Jump! I'll catch you!”  But the boy loudly protested, “Daddy, I can't see you!”  The father calmly responded, “But I can see you, and that’s all that matters.”  Wow!  Faith aligns itself with the vision of God.  He sees us, and that’s all that matters.

 Therefore, faith is believing God against all odds – confronting and surviving the fiery flames of life with sheer confidence that our Father will rescue, if it be His will.  I love the way Oswald Chambers frames it in his book, “Run Today’s Race.”  Chambers wrote, “Faith for my deliverance is not faith in God.  Faith means, whether I am visibly delivered or not, I will stick to my belief that God is love.  There are some things only learned in a fiery furnace.”  That, my friend, is unquestionable truth.

 Since we are neither the originators nor the arbitrators of true faith, we need never defend it.  In fact, it is virtually impossible for us to do so.  According to Thomas Aquinas, “To one who has faith, no explanation is needed.  To one without faith, no explanation is possible.” So don’t debate your faith.  Just create sufficient space for God to endow it, demonstrate it, grow it, and sustain it.

 What is faith?  Faith is the proactive result of internalizing, proclaiming and standing (blindly and fearlessly) on the sure promises of God.  Certainly, it can be enhanced by our Christian experience, i.e. “the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith.” (Romans 1:17)  But at its core, faith is best understood as a trusting child armed with confidence in his Father’s love, grace, mercy and power.

 The Apostle Paul expressed it best.  “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1)  Fellow winner-believer, stand on your faith.  For while many fall prey to doubting, your task as God’s Kingdom Kid is to always be found faith-ing your way through this tedious and miraculous journey called life.  Faith honors God, and God honors faith. 

 Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING. Maranatha!