This May Sound Silly – Faith

Greetings Dear Reader,

What is faith?  I am going to give a couple of definitions.

Webster online dictionary defines faith as a “strong belief or trust in someone or something.”    Hebrews 11:1 tells us “Faith assures us of things we expect and convinces us of the existence of things we cannot see.”   

God wants us to believe.  He wants us to approach him through faith.  We cannot earn favor with him.  We cannot be good enough not to need faith.  If we want to be just then we must live by faith.  This seems very silly to many people.

If we are honest we must acknowledge that we exercise a level of faith every day.  We believe that things will work the way they should.  We sit on chairs, driver our cars, and do our work believing that the social and physical laws or our world will work.  We are always shocked, alarmed, or angry when they do not.

We exercise faith every day but seem to limit our willingness to accept God by faith.  We deny our need for it, for God, and for the relationship it provides.  We think we can explain the mysteries of the universe without it and it seems silly to some that faith is necessary.

I have faith.  I nourish it.  I practice it.  I hope I give it hands and feet in the way I treat others.  It is what gives me hope.  It is what fuels my love for others.  It is what gets me through the pain and terror of everyday life.  It is what keeps my anger and hurt in check.  Without faith I have no hope of pleasing God with my life. It is the filter through which everything I am must pass.  

By Faith – Michael Card

By faith one was commended or the sacrifice he made

Another out of holy fear built an ark the world to save

Another left his homeland and as a stranger he'd reside

But none received the promise then and so, in faith, they died.

Others conquered kingdoms, quenched the fury of the flames

Some made strong in battle, some were raised to life again

But many more were martyred midst the crowds loud clamoring

By faith they would not bow the knee nor kiss the emperor's ring

Faith understands and offers It assures and calms our fears

It can shut the mouths of lions and make sense of scars and tears

We persevere in hope and with conscience clean and clear

We walk this fallen wilderness with Salvation's Pioneer

Being sure of what we hope for seeing what is yet unseen

A universe from nothingness new life where none had been

The known made from unknowable and hope for the comfortless

Who hear and hold on firmly to the faith that they possess

Faith understands and offers; it assures and calms our fears

It can shut the mouths of lions and make sense of scars and tears

We persevere in hope and with conscience clean and clear

We walk this fallen wilderness with Salvation's Pioneer

So fix your eyes upon the Champion as you seek to run the race

Understanding that He cheers you on as you long for His embrace

So hold on and do not grow weary of the faith that you profess

Remembering that you are ringed around by this cloud of witnesses.

Faith understands and offers; it assures and calms our fears

It can shut the mouths of lions and make sense of scars and tears

We persevere in hope and with conscience clean and clear

We walk this fallen wilderness with Salvation's Pioneer

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store."