Faith again?

Luke 8:36 – 59

This passage has a verse that has helped me get through more difficult times. Standing on God’s promises is easy when things are going well. It is easy to believe God will supply when you have a good job, that he will take care of you when your health is good, or that He is really in control of everything when your life is smooth sailing. If any one of these areas or others is touched by difficulty or worse tragedy, standing on God’s promises begins to be a challenge and takes real faith. When we choose to stand we see God is faithful to His promises.

Two actions of faith completely different but both desperate.

The woman had spent all that she had, gone to every doctor she could and no one would or could help her. She had nowhere to turn. I wonder how many Priests, Pharisees, or Sadducees she touched before she touched Jesus. To get to Jesus she had to fight through the crowd but what was even more difficult was she had to fight with her doubt. She had to push through to believe that this would be the time, this is the man, “I am going to receive my healing!”

How many times have you prayed and not received your answer? How many times have you prayed and things have gotten worse? This woman battled hopelessly for 12 years yet did not give up. We don’t know why it was a 12 year long battle but what we do know is that she fought the fight and won. Paul wrote, “Do not grow weary in well doing for in the end you will reap if you do not grow weary!” How long do we wait, fight, or persevere? Until we get the answer! God is always faithful the question is, are we?

Jairus had an only child, a twelve-year-old daughter who was dying. He was an official in the “church”. He too was desperate, desperate enough to lay down his reputation and pursue a radical teacher from the nowhere place of Galilee. Sometimes are pride can get in the way, sometimes the lord wants to correct our theology to remind us that it is not about what we do or who we are but about faith and trust in “whose” we are! Jairus had placed his reputation and position at risk to go to Jesus for help only to have his hope destroyed when the servant announced his daughter was dead. God’s love and faithfulness are every lasting and amazing and Jesus proved it right here. He knew the sacrifice and the faith it took for Jairus to come to him. What pleases God? Faith! Jairus had it. Jesus turned to him and said five very powerful words, “Don’t be afraid, only believe!”

Faith moves mountains, heals the sick, feeds the multitude, and raises the dead. Faith opened blind eyes and deaf ears and it held kept Jesus pushing on toward the cross. Faith in what is the question. Our faith is to be in God and his promises and Word. I often get the question how do I know God is going to do this thing? This is when relationship with God comes into play, when press on believing until God answers with a miracle or a clear, “I am not going to do this, I have a better plan!” Either way we have learned the Father’s heart better and to hear his voice more distinctively.

What are you believing for today? What miracle do you need? God will be faithful! “Don’t be afraid, only believe!