Oswald Chambers once said, "Faith is deliberate confidence in the character of God whose ways you may not understand at the time."
Deliberate, intentional confidence. Not in the things of this world, but rather in the character or nature of God. The God of Abraham, Noah, Moses, Joshua, David, Paul, and us. The unwavering character and nature of a creator and sustainer that has reminded us throughout history, "I know the plans I have for you." Plans to prosper us. Plans to bless us. Plans to bring us into the fullness of God's goodness and not to harm us.
We need only a cursory glance at the scriptures to realize that God is faithful to his word. In each of the lives of those named above, God has been faithful to the promises he made to them. As I look back over the course of my life thus far, it is easy to see that when I allow God to lead, God was at work in and around me. This is often easier in hindsight, I think, because we do as Chambers says, have difficulty in understanding God's ways.
The writer of Hebrews defines faith this way, "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see (Hebrews 11:1)."
Now if I hope for a Vector or a Lamborghini, I am pretty sure that God is not some kind of cosmic vending machine that is going to cater to my every whim. Unless these two ultra fast cars have some purpose in God's kingdom building, I seriously doubt that I will get one.
So it seems to me that what we hope for and what we long to see has great importance. If I hope for the things of God, I can be certain that they will come to fruition. So perhaps today, we can lean more fully into the one that created us, the one that sustains us, and the one that redeems us. I believe that by drawing closer, we will better hear and know the voice of God. We will better discern and understand the will of God.
Today's prayer - Holy God, we give thanks for the day. We give thanks for your faithfulness and the calling you have on our lives. Help our thoughts to be your thoughts. Shape our visions and dreams to be yours. Grant us such clarity in the things that we hope for, that we can know in certainty their fruition though we may not yet see them. May none of this be for our glory, but solely for yours God. Amen.
Deliberate, intentional confidence. Not in the things of this world, but rather in the character or nature of God. The God of Abraham, Noah, Moses, Joshua, David, Paul, and us. The unwavering character and nature of a creator and sustainer that has reminded us throughout history, "I know the plans I have for you." Plans to prosper us. Plans to bless us. Plans to bring us into the fullness of God's goodness and not to harm us.
We need only a cursory glance at the scriptures to realize that God is faithful to his word. In each of the lives of those named above, God has been faithful to the promises he made to them. As I look back over the course of my life thus far, it is easy to see that when I allow God to lead, God was at work in and around me. This is often easier in hindsight, I think, because we do as Chambers says, have difficulty in understanding God's ways.
The writer of Hebrews defines faith this way, "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see (Hebrews 11:1)."
Now if I hope for a Vector or a Lamborghini, I am pretty sure that God is not some kind of cosmic vending machine that is going to cater to my every whim. Unless these two ultra fast cars have some purpose in God's kingdom building, I seriously doubt that I will get one.
So it seems to me that what we hope for and what we long to see has great importance. If I hope for the things of God, I can be certain that they will come to fruition. So perhaps today, we can lean more fully into the one that created us, the one that sustains us, and the one that redeems us. I believe that by drawing closer, we will better hear and know the voice of God. We will better discern and understand the will of God.
Today's prayer - Holy God, we give thanks for the day. We give thanks for your faithfulness and the calling you have on our lives. Help our thoughts to be your thoughts. Shape our visions and dreams to be yours. Grant us such clarity in the things that we hope for, that we can know in certainty their fruition though we may not yet see them. May none of this be for our glory, but solely for yours God. Amen.
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