Many of us know what "Faith" is, but how many of us have Faith? I thought I did, until yesterday morning when I realized, I had very little faith.
These verses aren’t ones I set out to read, it was part of yesterday’s sermon, but oh my goodness it was just what I needed.
We had a guest pastor yesterday and the sermon was about Faith. Until yesterday, I thought I had faith.. but like the V8 commercials where people smack others on the forehead because they didn’t eat their vegetables, God smacked me forcefully and squarely on the forehead!
Genesis 22:3 (New International Version) 3 Early the next morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about.
Genesis 22:9 (New International Version) 9 When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood.
Abraham, who KNEW he was going to do the most difficult and unthinkable thing any parent could do, actually GOT UP EARLY (I probably would have hit the snooze button) and took his son, “whom he loved” to the mountain to sacrifice him! Parents out there, think about this.. . Abraham was going to KILL his son because God made him promises. At that very instant I knew I didn’t have faith. Faith for me was a “head” thing. Now, it’s a heart thing!
So many times, mostly when things were going wrong, I would stress out, pray frantically saying “Please God Please God Please God” and the like.. but I wasn’t faithful.. I was fearful. If I WAS faithful, I would most assuredly pray, but the tone, the feel, the whole process would be different.
Today, I feel different. Safe. Secure. Actually Peaceful. I don’t know if I’ve ever felt peace before but I do now. The fear is gone.
Will it be a daily struggle.. absolutely, I have no doubt, but I also have no doubt now, that those two verses will forever be a reminder to me that Faith is attainable and something I will strive for minute by minute, day by day. Forever
