Believing is Seeing

Faith is being sure of what we hope for, certain of what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1

  

When a specific verse or theme is mentioned repeatedly from a variety of sources in the span of a week, I tend to sit up and take notice.  Last week, that theme was "faith" and the recurring passage was Hebrews 11:1.  You can ask me or ask anyone who knows me whether or not I have faith, and the answer will undoubtedly be yes.  But, lately, I've been learning a deeper lesson about faith that believes what it cannot see.

I've had a front row seat for about a month now to a situation that, by all counts, appears hopeless.  Multiple times a week, I find myself starting out a prayer with "God, I don't see how you could bring good from this ..." but before I can even finish the thought, I hear Hebrews 11:1 playing in my memory, "...certain of what we do not see." 

Growing up in church, hearing about faith all my life, I never thought it was that tough of a concept.  But, now, I'm realizing, believing God for something I know is His will, that I'm asking for in Jesus' name, agreeing with other believers about, but I cannot see any evidence of whatsoever at the moment, takes faith on a whole new level. 

And, I'm reminded of Joshua 6:1-2.

Now Jericho was tightly shut up because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in. Then the LORD said to Joshua, "See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men..."

Did you catch that?  Jericho was shut up tightly.  Impenetrable.  Then God says, "See, I'm going ot give you that."  God asks Joshua to see a reality beyond all physical evidence or circumstance.  He wants Him to see the victory before the march around the walls has even begun!  I am so encouraged by that! 

For me, today, believing is seeing.  Believing God can and will do what I can barely bring myself to speak of or hope for, is looking at a securely fortified city and knowing victory is as good as accomplished.

I would have dispaired had I not believed I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.  Wait on the Lord and be of good cheer, He will strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord. Psalm 27:13-14

Peace in the Strangest Places

This morning I decided my verse for the day would be Psalm 94:19, "When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, your consolations, O Lord, will be my delight."  For a couple of weeks now, I've found it very difficult to find inner quiet.  I don't know exactly how to explain what's been going on in my head, except to say that things are never still or quiet.  There's a constant list of things that need to be done, people that need to be called, friends that need to be prayed for, books that need to be read, tasks that need to be completed, events that need to be planned, special occasions that need to be celebrated, and on and on and on.  It's exhausting.  As I stole my few minutes of time alone with the Lord this morning before rushing to sit in traffic on my way to work, I asked Him to grant me peace, begged Him to let me find that quiet I was lacking. 
My morning passed in a blur.  I had two hours to return phone calls, answer emails, and publish and pass out a newsletter before my 10 o'clock meeting which would push past 11 o'clock, and then I had to leave no later than noon to be at the court house for a jury duty summons at 12:30.  All morning long, the running list of things I had to accomplish and things I hoped to accomplish, and things I was going to have to apologize for not accomplishing was swirling through my thoughts.  It was awful.
Then, I got to the courthouse.  I made my way through the metal detectors, wound through the line of jurors being processed into the large jury room, scanned my summons, and crawled across three women to one of the last open seats.  I made polite small talk with the lady beside me, offered her one of the two books I'd brought with me (yes, I was prepared!), then sat back and observed the people.  It was tempting to fret about all that I wasn't getting done, but suddenly, I realized there was nothing I could do about it.  I hadn't chosen this date or time, but I was summoned.  I didn't have email or work or anything else but a book with me, and because there was nobody there I knew, there was nobody there to bother me.  I sat ... quietly.  I read a bit, and then I just sat. 
About 30 minutes into it, I realized that my head was quiet, my thoughts were still.  I was at peace.  I stayed there for 2 1/2 hours, jurors getting assigned to various courts, announcements being made, my name never being called.  And, then, it was over.  I was dismissed.  I was back at my desk by 3:15 p.m., but I was at peace.  I'd had the break that I so desperately craved. 
Like a very special gift only He could arrange, God provided the peace I was longing for in the strangest of places, a jury room.

500 years ...

I've been thinking a lot lately about God's promise-keeping nature.  I know in my head that God is a faithful promise keeper, but I also know that I'm frequently oblivious to that fact on a daily basis.  I want to want the things that please the Lord and to live boldly confident that He's delighted to provide them.

Today, I read from several different passages.  The first was Genesis 5, mostly a geneology, with a few familiar names sprinkled throughout, including Noah.  Genesis 5:32 says, "After Noah was 500 years old, he became the father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth."  500 years old?  Seriously?  I mean, I know that people lived longer back then, but even in the rest of the chapter, most people started having kids before their 200th birthday.  Noah was seriously behind.  And, then he had the whole ark thing and the 120 years.  I just had to stop a minute and ponder that.  Why in the world did God wait 500 years before making Noah a father?  Was Noah concerned that he might not have sons to carry on his family at any point in those 500 years?  Did waiting 500 years to have sons and then being blessed with three sons shape Noah's relationship with God and willingness to trust Him when it came time to build an ark on dry land?

Then, the last passage I read this morning was from Luke 2.  It was the story of Simeon, the guy who believed the Lord had spoken to him and promised him that he would see the Christ before he died.  I don't know how old Simeon was, but he seemed ready to die once he'd held the baby Jesus and recognized Him as the Messiah.  I wonder how long he'd been waiting for that promise to be fulfilled?  I wonder if he ever felt crazy?  I wonder if others thought him strange?  Did he tell them what he was waiting to see?  I wonder if he ever had health problems and doubted in his own mind the Voice that had made that promise?  It was a pretty radical hope to cling to after 400 years of silence from the Lord or His prophets.

All of this led me to thinking  about the things I'm asking God for, waiting on Him to accomplish, believing He will do.  There are some very specific hopes I have placed in Him, things I have felt led to pray that seem a bit wild and far-fetched even in my own mind most days, times when I am sure I heard His voice but I could never prove it.  The longing, the waiting, the hoping, the anticipating ... it's what drives me to my knees, draws me closer to Him over and over again.  Today, as I thought about Noah and Simeon, I tried to imagine what it would truly be like to have all those dreams fulfilled, and I began a new prayer in earnest, that God would never fulfill one promise without giving me another so that I might never cease to long for and hope in Him.


May no promise fulfilled ever satisfy me like the simple joy of knowing Christ.


"What I once considered gain, I now consider loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus, my Lord." Philippians 3:8

10 Resolutions for 2010

Resolved, I will pray more and worry less.
Resolved, I will read more and watch tv less.
Resolved, I will cook more but eat alone less.
Resolved, I will see more sunrises and fewer midnights.
Resolved, I will save more, give more and spend less.
Resolved, I will love more and preach less.
Resolved, I will rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep.
Resolved, I will allow the Truth to set me free.
Resolved, I will practice being today the woman I hope to become tomorrow.
Resolved, I will live boldly and fear less.