Faith that will not Back Down
Hey there, friend, look at you wanderin’ up to this ol’ front porch like you plum just heard about somethin’ real good and worth stoppin’ in for today. Well then, go on and pull that there ol’ lawn chair right under this pecan tree where the breeze is real friendly and the shade is workin’ overtime. I’ve been sittin’ here watchin’ a feisty lil’ ol’ squirrel fussin’ at a slow‑movin’ possum that got too close to his nest up in the tree, and it sho’-nuff’ reminded me of somethin’ I need to be think about these days. Folks get mighty protective over what they think faith can’t do. They guard their doubts the way that lil’ squirrel guards his nest. But Matthew 9:18 tells us about a ruler who came to Jesus sayin’, “My daughter is even now dead, but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live.” That right there is faith that refuses to back down.
Now Jesus could’ve healed that lil’ girl with just a word, but He met that man right at the level of his faith. And to help us git to seein’ this even clearer, let’s weave in Romans 10:17, which says, “So, then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Faith grows when we hear God’s truth, not when we stare at our fears like a lil’ skittish deer lookin’ at headlights. Jesus didn’t scold that there man for havin’ small faith. He honored the faith he had and then built on it.
There’s a human kind of faith that only trusts what it can see, taste, hear, smell, or feel. But God’s kind of faith goes way beyond all that. It calls things that are not there or in place as though they already were. It steps out like a brave lil’ ol’ rabbit hoppin’ across a big open field trustin’ that the One who made the field also knows just how to guide its steps.
We use faith every day without thinkin’ about it. We sit in chairs. We drive cars. But our faith is only as strong as the thing we place it in. If you sit in a cardboard chair, friend, you are gonna be goin’ down. That’s why Hebrews 12:2 tells us to look unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. He’s the only One sturdy enough to hold the full weight of your trust.
And here is the sweetest part of all. Faith works because love fuels it. We naturally trust the One Who loves us. When you grasp God’s unconditional love, faith starts growin’ like wildflowers after a spring rain.
Father, thank You for lovin’ me and teachin’ me to trust You. Help me place my faith fully in Jesus, the One who never fails. Let Your love quiet my fears and strengthen my heart today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Alright then, friend, as you head on into the rest of your day, you slip this here truth right where you can find it real easy. God’s love isn’t weak like a porch board that creaks under an ol’ raccoon’s paws. It’s strong enough to steady you when life bucks like an ol’ bull that has missed his feedin’ time. It’s gentle enough to lift you when you git to feelin’ about as small as a lil’ ol’ chipmunk hidin’ up in the top of the tree. And it’s faithful enough to turn your little bit of faith into a mighty testimony of what God can do when you simply say, “Lord, I trust You.”
With joy,
Gwen
