Reflections by Chuck Cluff, Atherton resident since 2004
Passage: Hebrews 11:1
There is so much said about faith in the Bible. Having faith is required and admired. But
What about this: How does one get faith? How can you have faith before you have faith? How can you have faith in what you don’t believe or don’t yet fully believe? How does faith begin, what is its starting point? How does faith happen, where does it come from?
Faith is trusting someone. It does not relate to things even though it may appear to. It is not the car we trust when we drive, it is the one’s that built it. We trust they built it right, and safely. We trust airplanes because we have faith in the mechanics who maintain them. It is the same with all things. We trust things to be what they are supposed to be and do what they are supposed to do because they were built that way. It is the people who built them we actually trust. Because faith has to do with people we better know something about the person we trust. Some people are not trustworthy for they don’t give good advice. They may even be intentionally deceptive for their own benefit. Having faith in God is the smartest thing anyone can do because God is completely honest and constantly has our own benefit in mind. God is entirely competent and reliable. God loving us means he wants the best for us.
Faith comes as we get to know God personally. This knowing can be a slow, long term affair; or a startling aha moment. Jesus was an individual people met; a grand person, charismatic and likable. The honest and sincere loved him, believed him. He shared a great message about a loving Heavenly Father who wants to embrace everyone, regardless of culture or background. In their hearts they found the Father to be who Jesus said he would be. The Spirit affirms the truth about God to the seeking. When you count on God being who he says he is and doing what he says he will do, that’s trust. hat’s faith. The longer you watch God taking care of those who are close to him the easier it is to know he will never let them down, or you. Faith in God comes from watching God be who he is, and that’s amazing!
Recent Comments