7/10/07 (Trinity 18)
Luke 17:5-10
'Faith is being sure of what we hope for, and certain of what we do not see' (Hebrews 11:1). That certainty is not the certainty which comes from proof, for what we hope for and what we do not see cannot easily be proved or disproved. It is more of a commitment than a conviction - a decision to accept something as a reality, even if we cannot prove it.
Faith in God is a commitment to him, even when we cannot prove his existence and even when we do not understand how he fits into the world we see around us. Habakkuk was a prophet at a time when the cruel Babylonians were threatening to invade Judah, and he could not understand how a holy God could use such wicked men to punish his people. He is never given a reason; but he is given a message of hope for those who keep trusting. The final passage of the book is one of the greatest statements of faith in the Bible: 'Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Saviour.' (Habakkuk 3:17,18)
Jesus' disciples asked him to increase their faith. His reply in Luke 17 points out to them that it is not the quantity of faith that matters so much as the object of faith. People who believe the world is flat may have great faith, but their faith is misplaced and won't help them live in today's culture. What Jesus is looking for is faith in him - and that faith is not a feeling, it is a decision to trust him and to act accordingly. We may feel very weak in faith, but if we have decided to act as if Jesus is Lord and Saviour, that is real faith, and that is enough faith to move mulberry trees or mountains or whatever - it is not the faith that acts, it is the God to whom we have committed ourselves who is doing the work.
There is a 'gift of faith' which is listed among the gifts of the Spirit in 1 Corinthians 12. That faith really does feel like certainty - you just know something is true, or that God is going to answer a prayer, even though you have no evidence. It is a gift, and it is vindicated by the results. When we pray we may need to continue until we have the assurance that God has heard - until we are given the gift of faith and 'just know' that God has heard and answered our prayer. However, we are to put our trust in Jesus even when we don't 'just know'; faith when life is difficult honours God far more than easy faith.
The relationship of the slaves to the master also illustrates the nature of faith. Faith accepts the reality of who God is. We believe in a God who is Lord of all, the master of every aspect of our lives. We are his servants, not his equals. He has every right to tell us what to do, and we have no right to expect a reward simply for doing our duty. The fact that Jesus teaches us that God wants us to call him 'Father', and will reward us for our good deeds, should not lessen our respect for him as our holy God. God is a God of amazing grace, whose love for us is far beyond our wildest imaginings; yet true faith will never take him for granted, and assume that because he loves us we can get away with anything. We believe God is God.
Questions:
1) What examples of faith do you find most admirable?
2) When do you find faith difficult, and what helps you during those times?