“I was reading in Luke’s gospel earlier this morning,” Stan commented, “and I saw where Jesus asked one simple question that has a whole boatload of application for my faith walk.”
“What was going on?” I asked.
“A little background,” Stan replied. “Jesus and His disciples were in a boat going from one side of a lake or sea to the other. Jesus was tired and fell asleep. A storm arose that began to swamp the boat. The disciples woke Jesus up and told Him they were perishing. Jesus rebuked the wind and the waves, everything calmed down, and then came the question that Jesus asked. He asked the disciples and He asks me the same question on a regular basis.”
“What’s that?” I asked.
“Where’s your faith?”
“Where’s your faith?” I repeated. “What do you mean?”
“Jesus asked His disciples that question, implying, it seems to me, that how could they possibly think that God the Father was going to allow them and Jesus to perish before Jesus had completed what His Father sent Him to do.”
“And that applies to you in what way?” I asked.
“If I am open to hearing,” Stan replied, “the Holy Spirit is constantly asking me, ‘Where’s your faith?’ Is my faith in God or is it in me? Is it in God or is in the world? Do I come to God in faith for everything or just with the things I think I can’t handle myself?”
“Tough questions,” I commented.
“Indeed,” Stan replied. “Tough questions that are aimed so that I may always have the same answer.”
“What same answer?”
“That my faith is in God for all things,” Stan said. “Big things, little things, in-between things, all things regardless of whether or not I think I can handle them on my own. I am to give them to God with unwavering faith that He knows how to handle them a whole lot better than I do on my own apart from Him.”
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Bible verses to consider:
And He said to them, “Where is your faith?” Luke 8:25.
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1.
And Jesus said to him, “if You can! All things are possible to him who believes.” Immediately the boy’s father cried out and began saying, “I do believe; help my unbelief.” Mark 9:23-24.
Prayer: Thank you, Father, that you want my faith to be in you and in you alone for all things, the big and the little. I confess that too often I think I’m capable of handling certain things on my own, or by relying on someone or something other than you. Please forgive that foolishness, and please help me in following every step of your lead so I truly trust in you for everything. Help me to be able to answer your question, “Where is your faith?” by saying, “It is in you and you alone!” Thank you I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Think on this: Have you by faith accepted God’s free and gracious gift of salvation and redemption so you have the assurance of spending eternity with Him when it’s time? If no, why? If you do have the assurance of salvation by faith, how are you doing with your faith on this side of eternity? Do you bring everything before God in faith? Or are there certain things you don’t “bother” God about, thinking you can handle them on your own? If you sense there may be a need to change your response when God asks, “Where is your faith?” how is that change going to happen? Is that what you want? Why or why not?
Waiting for the Train 