[The Blog o' Sands] Walking Like Nathan
0 views
Skip to first unread message
C.Sands
Mar 19, 2008, 7:58:42 PM3/19/08
to blogo...@googlegroups.com
Greetings all, hope this finds you well...
Last week I spent a couple of days at a friend's ranch in Brenham. I wanted to take some time and get quiet and alone with God...wanted to hear what it was that he had to say to me. I was actually hoping he was going to drop a job in my lap but that didn't happen...I think some better stuff did.
My goal during the two days was to read completely through the gospels...no study aides, no in-depth word study, just to read them from beginning to end. (something that I have, regretfully, never done before) I came away with several insights that I hope to explore in future posts, but the first one to hit me was Christ's level of impatience with the lack of faith in those around him.
I mean, this was a BIG deal with Jesus...he talks about faith (and our lack of it) a LOT. I have often wondered why it is that God is so focused upon us having faith in Him. I mean, why is it that the faith thing is such a huge deal? I'm sure there are big theological reasons why and I'm sure people smarter than me have wrestled with the same question...but here's the first part of the answer I feel that I received...
I think true faith in God allows us to be courageous enough to live with a singular purpose.
Christ says, "I tell you, if you have the faith the size of a mustard seed you will be able to say to this mountain, 'be moved' and it will happen." So often, when I read this verse I think about some big, mystical, "out there" kind of faith; some grand thing that monks have or that the pope knows about. And yet, the faith that I hear Jesus speaking about is pretty simple...trust that God is going to take care of you.
We are told by Christ repeatedly that we should not concern ourselves with the worries of this life, with what we should eat or drink, what we will wear for clothing and we are also repeatedly told to work for the kingdom. In John, Christ tells us to first seek the kingdom of heaven and that all other things will be added unto us...
Seeking the kingdom and trusting that everything else is going to work out takes faith...more than I have at the moment. Perhaps Christ was saying that the mountain moving power of faith was the power of a life completely devoted to the calling it has received, not worried about the things of this world.
I wonder how many great things have not been done for the kingdom because of our inability to trust God to take care of the details? How many ministries have not been started because I wouldn't leave my comfortable setting and trust God to take care of my family as I am doing his work? How many times have I gone to a job each day that has nothing to do with what I am created by God to do, simply because I don't trust him enough to even try to do that thing that he has created me for?
I think Jesus was so hard on our lack of faith because our lack of faith is so hard on our ability to live lives that are full...lives that are faith filled adventures...lives that make huge marks in time.
My step-grandfather died this week at the age of 86. During his lifetime, he flew 50-some missions in a bomber in WWII and served in Korea. He was shot down twice over enemy territory and received two purple hearts as well as a slew of other awards that we are in the process of figuring out. He was a member of the North American Mission Board and had preached on three continents and a dozen or so different countries, served dozens of churches, and was married to the same woman for 65 years.
At his funeral, I heard old men talk about him being their hero...I heard them talk about Paul saying that we must "die daily" and how this man was a fine example of what that means. And these men weren't saying these things just from the stage, or to the family, I overheard them saying these things among one another...
When I die, I want to have made that kind of mark...I believe that Jesus wants me to make that kind of mark as well...that's why he calls me to His kind of faith. The kind of faith that gives me the courage to have a singular purpose...to live passionately in pursuit of his glory.
--
Posted By C.Sands to The Blog o' Sands at 3/19/2008 04:03:00 PM
Last week I spent a couple of days at a friend's ranch in Brenham. I wanted to take some time and get quiet and alone with God...wanted to hear what it was that he had to say to me. I was actually hoping he was going to drop a job in my lap but that didn't happen...I think some better stuff did.
My goal during the two days was to read completely through the gospels...no study aides, no in-depth word study, just to read them from beginning to end. (something that I have, regretfully, never done before) I came away with several insights that I hope to explore in future posts, but the first one to hit me was Christ's level of impatience with the lack of faith in those around him.
I mean, this was a BIG deal with Jesus...he talks about faith (and our lack of it) a LOT. I have often wondered why it is that God is so focused upon us having faith in Him. I mean, why is it that the faith thing is such a huge deal? I'm sure there are big theological reasons why and I'm sure people smarter than me have wrestled with the same question...but here's the first part of the answer I feel that I received...
I think true faith in God allows us to be courageous enough to live with a singular purpose.
Christ says, "I tell you, if you have the faith the size of a mustard seed you will be able to say to this mountain, 'be moved' and it will happen." So often, when I read this verse I think about some big, mystical, "out there" kind of faith; some grand thing that monks have or that the pope knows about. And yet, the faith that I hear Jesus speaking about is pretty simple...trust that God is going to take care of you.
We are told by Christ repeatedly that we should not concern ourselves with the worries of this life, with what we should eat or drink, what we will wear for clothing and we are also repeatedly told to work for the kingdom. In John, Christ tells us to first seek the kingdom of heaven and that all other things will be added unto us...
Seeking the kingdom and trusting that everything else is going to work out takes faith...more than I have at the moment. Perhaps Christ was saying that the mountain moving power of faith was the power of a life completely devoted to the calling it has received, not worried about the things of this world.
I wonder how many great things have not been done for the kingdom because of our inability to trust God to take care of the details? How many ministries have not been started because I wouldn't leave my comfortable setting and trust God to take care of my family as I am doing his work? How many times have I gone to a job each day that has nothing to do with what I am created by God to do, simply because I don't trust him enough to even try to do that thing that he has created me for?
I think Jesus was so hard on our lack of faith because our lack of faith is so hard on our ability to live lives that are full...lives that are faith filled adventures...lives that make huge marks in time.
My step-grandfather died this week at the age of 86. During his lifetime, he flew 50-some missions in a bomber in WWII and served in Korea. He was shot down twice over enemy territory and received two purple hearts as well as a slew of other awards that we are in the process of figuring out. He was a member of the North American Mission Board and had preached on three continents and a dozen or so different countries, served dozens of churches, and was married to the same woman for 65 years.
At his funeral, I heard old men talk about him being their hero...I heard them talk about Paul saying that we must "die daily" and how this man was a fine example of what that means. And these men weren't saying these things just from the stage, or to the family, I overheard them saying these things among one another...
When I die, I want to have made that kind of mark...I believe that Jesus wants me to make that kind of mark as well...that's why he calls me to His kind of faith. The kind of faith that gives me the courage to have a singular purpose...to live passionately in pursuit of his glory.
--
Posted By C.Sands to The Blog o' Sands at 3/19/2008 04:03:00 PM
Reply all
Reply to author
Forward
0 new messages