Christian Faith

Christian Faith

Hbr 11:1-3, 6 NLT - [1] What is faith? It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see. [2] God gave his approval to people in days of old because of their faith. [3] By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God's command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen. ... [6] So, you see, it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that there is a God and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.

Mar 11:22-24 NLT - [22] Then Jesus said to the disciples, "Have faith in God. [23] I assure you that you can say to this mountain, `May God lift you up and throw you into the sea,' and your command will be obeyed. All that's required is that you really believe and do not doubt in your heart. [24] Listen to me! You can pray for anything, and if you believe, you will have it.

My favorite Star Wars scene occurs in Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back. In it, Jedi Master Yoda requests that his mentor Luke Skywalker pull his ship out of a swamp using the force. In desperation, Luke proclaims the task impossible. The wise Master Yoda, however, exclaims, ““Size matters not. Look at me. Judge me by my size, do you? Hmm? Hmm. And well you should not. For my ally is the Force, and a powerful ally it is.” After Yoda pulls the ship out of the water, Luke shouts, “I don’t believe it!” “That,” Yoda replies, “is why you fail.” You can watch the clip here(http://bit.ly/ax06v5).

There is an eerie parallel to this story with the sort of faith Christ calls us to have. In Mark 11, Jesus tells us to “have faith in God.” He “[assures us] that [we] can say to this mountain, ‘May God lift you up and throw you into the sea,' and [our] command will be obeyed.” Most of us assume this passage is metaphorical, but I believe our Lord meant it literally. He tells us “all that’s required is that [we] really believe and do not doubt in [our] heart.” Yet it is always doubt which clouds our faith, isn’t it? We are taught to be skeptical of nearly everything, and while there is perhaps nothing wrong with this, if we are not taught to also believe in what has been proven trustworthy, our lives will be lived in miserable mistrust.

The writer of Hebrews explains that faith “is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot see. By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.” Why are we confident in the unseen? What evidence is there of our Lord? A simple little hymn proclaims, “You ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart.” We have faith in God because He goes with us every day. He has never left us or forsaken us, even in our times of darkest gloom and deep despair. In our greatest hour of need, He has comforted us. In times of joy, He has cheered us onwards. In seasons of stagnation, He has kept our spirits bright. In droughts and famine, He has brought us food. In the strongest storms, He has given us shelter. “What a mighty God we serve!”

Yes, Christ proclaims we can move mountains. The real question, however, is if we could do it if He asked. Most of us are not there yet, not because we are unable, but because of our unbelief. Jesus says, “Listen to me! You can pray for anything, and if you believe, you will have it.” It is not the prayer that concerns us, nor the receiving, but the belief aspect. Doubts are like cracks in the surface which slowly grow and undo the foundation above it. Doubt can destroy our entire request. That is why faith is so crucial to a Christian’s life.

Will we have faith today? Can we move a ship out of a swamp, a mountain into the sea, or even the salvation of a loved one? “Size matters not,” Master Yoda examines. Does God see our prayers differently depending on the size? Of course not! We can just as well raise the dead to life as we can heal a sour attitude. What do we lack? Faith. Let us have faith to do the seemingly impossible. Amen.

With love in Christ,

Austin Aldrich