Several
months ago as I was writing on an idea for a blog post, I wondered if it was
a good use of my time. Starting a blog
was presented to me by someone familiar with the writing I did for the
“Spreading the Word” feature in the North
County Journal; I was not particularly enthusiastic about sharing my
thoughts on faith in this new way.
However, as I “jumped in,” I soon realized that having the blog in place
kept me writing down Christian reflections and insights. Still, was I wasting my time?
The
day I questioned the value of continuing with the blog writing—for an audience
of two, three?—God showed me that the writing, revising, reviewing of what I
wrote served as a reinforcing exercise of faith for me. I write what I believe, what I think I “see”
through the eyes of faith and the insights of the Holy Spirit, not always in
agreement with how I am feeling or seeing things in my particular
circumstances.
Today
a favorite scripture from Hebrews seems to match the worth of professing in
words what we are, by the grace and inspiration of God, choosing to
believe. “ . . . let us draw near with a
true heart in full assurance of faith . . . Let us hold fast the confession or
our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful” (Heb. 10:22,23). Holding fast without wavering can be
challenging, actually impossible apart from the faith and patience only God can
supply through His Holy Spirit at work in us.
The
“yes, buts” of life pull at us just like the “but” or “well” that little Henry uses
to squirm toward his thinking on a situation.
For example, on a recent visit to our house, Henry asked me if I wanted
to play some trains. “Sure,” I replied
as I got down on the floor with him in our family room. He then began divvying the train cars out, an
engine for each of us. The next five
coal tender cars were lined up behind his engine only, one by one. Noting the disparity, I asked, “How is it
that you have all these cars, and my engine stands alone?” “Well, so . . . “ But Grandma persisted, and again got some
kind of “yes, but” flimflam explanation.
Finally,
I asked Henry, “What would be the kind and sharing thing to do?” He thought for a minute and said, “Will you
give them back to me?” After my
assurance that I would, he gave me all five cars, now leaving his engine alone
like mine had been. I was impressed that
his 3 ½ year old mind and heart could hear my words and respond so well. He just needed to “see” things differently
and act on my encouragement.
So,
when we come to God with our “yes, buts,” our anguished perceptions or
struggles, we need God’s perspective and encouragement to respond with
continued faith expressed in our words and prayers. In his time on earth, Jesus saw the same
things we do, just like he saw the multitudes to be fed with only a few items
of food, the waves and torment of the angry sea around the boat he and the
disciples were in, and the tomb where his friend Lazarus had lain for four
days. But what Jesus also saw were the plans and power of God that were stronger and greater than what obstacles were before Him. He knew He had been anointed by God to teach, heal, deliver and save, a dynamic ministry that was to be continued by his followers empowered to do so.
What Jesus says to Martha after
he told others to “take away the stone” covering the tomb, He continues to say
to us. “Did I not say to you that if you would believe, you would see the glory
of God?” (John 11:39,40). And don’t we
all need, really need, to see such glorious demonstrations of what the
goodness, compassion and power of God can do when God supplies the faith and
courage to believe—still, well past the “yes, buts” in our minds.
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