At dinner tonight a group of my friends discussed the necessity of faith. If one were to pick up the Book of Revelation, without any faith, he or she would think all who followed it's writings were absolutely crazy. In fact many already do. And sometimes I even do too. I am waiting for a Jewish man to come out of the sky, clean the Earth of all unrighteousness and bring His city. WHAT! Who believes this stuff. I do. We do. We believe that one day all things will be beautiful and our bodies will be made new; the corruption of this earth will vanish and we will meet with the One every person was created for. Faith is what leads our hearts to endure the process of laying down our lives. It is only in faith that we stay in this upside down, backwards calling.
Jesus always knew He would leave His home and the Father always knew he would kill His son. This story is crazy. Romans 5:7-8 says, "For one will scarcely die for a righteous person-though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die- but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Jesus came down to save every soul from death. He, for some time, was made lower than the angels so that He may live next to the very men that despised him. He was hated and yet He still died for us. The world did not know who he was. They did not know His plan. He came in love for His people, to shepherd them back to His dwelling place, but they led Him to the slaughter. This truth leaves me unraveled--every single time. This is the a God that we have faith for. The one that gave it all. Without faith we will fall away from the kindness of this Man.
The Gospels tell of a woman Jesus came in contact with while walking to the house of the ruler of the synagogue. Luke 8:42-48:
"...As Jesus went [through the city], the people pressed around him. 43 And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and though she had spent all her living on physicians, she could not be healed by anyone.44 She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, and immediately her discharge of blood ceased.
45 And Jesus said, "Who was it that touched me?" When all denied it, Peter said, "Master, the crowds surround you and are pressing in on you!"46 But Jesus said, "Someone touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me."47 And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed.48 And he said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace."
This woman had nothing. She was a nobody in society. For years she had strived for health. Gave everything she had to physicians, but no remedy could save her. She was ashamed, humiliated, utterly despised by her own. She had every reason to hate the world, to hate God. Instead she stood in faith and in a last desperate effort for freedom reached for the hem of the garment of the One that stitched her very flesh--instantly she was healed. Verse 47 reveals that the woman came falling down at His feet trembling. She was not bold and mighty in appearance. She wasn't like a gladiator upon a horse ready for war. She was a feeble woman who had nothing left. She was weak, broken, desperate for healing and in that walked in faith for freedom.And what does Jesus do as he looks down on this "disgrace" to society. He says, "daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace." When we encounter that power, that love, nothing else can compare. When we feel the love of The Lord all else subsides and all we want is more of Him. Even the hem of his garment far outweighs any other lover. Nothing can satisfy like the touch of our own Creator.
This encounter is what gives us the faith to believe and His sacrifice is what stirs us to want to. When we just touch the hem of his garment we are forever ruined and nothing else satisfies. When we come in contact with the living God there is no other option but to fully follow His leadership. When He sacrifices His life I give Him mine. When He says forget all other lovers I say "take me Lord, I want to rest with You." And When He writes that He will return on a white horse out of the clouds and every knee will bow I say,"I will wait for you Lord." Because what else is there. Though there will be locusts with golden crowns and women's hair; though the water will turn to blood and millions will die, I stand in allegiance with the living God. I say yes to Him.My faith is set in an insane plan. My life is given to a Man that actually raised from the dead. It is weird. But it keeps my heart alive. Because even a small breath of His love or the hem of his garment has the power to take over all skepticism. If I only see Him for a moment it is worth the fight to find Him again and seek out His dwelling place. We need faith stay because without it the human brain cannot conceptualize it.
Teach me how to walk steadily in Your ways. Continuing to forsake all other lovers and cling to You alone. Though I am weak I will prevail in Your strength because I am Yours.
Oh the beauty of Jesus. Tis so sweet to trust in Him.
