a troubled bridge?May we all be bridges in life - and not walls -
no matter how troubled we may be.
no matter how troubled we may be.
"Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace,
and pursue it." ~ Psalm 34:14
and pursue it." ~ Psalm 34:14
I read a quote yesterday in a book. Something about the opposite of faith not being doubt, but certainty. Do you agree?
I'd not thought of it that way before, but it makes sense. If we see God sitting in the room with us, we can believe in Him easily and that doesn't require faith. We are trusting because we see with our eyes, hear His voice speaking to us, feel His hands if we take hold of Him. If we see the next step God has planned for us and the next and the next, we are certain and that require no faith. It's interesting how God told Abraham to get up and leave his father's house and country and go to a land where God would lead him. Abraham didn't have a detailed 15-year plan, a map, or even a set of instructions like we'd receive in order to set up our computers. He just - as far as we can tell - obeyed God without question. And even today Abraham is held in high esteem, a man honored by billions in this world. Several months ago I was talking to someone and he mentioned that there is no real friendship without trust. So how can we claim God as our loving and caring Heavenly Father, yet not trust Him? It seems rather insulting to Him in some ways, doesn't it? Faith - not certainty - is so important! We can't please God without it.
Do we walk by faith or by sight?
Hebrews 11:6 -- "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."
I'd not thought of it that way before, but it makes sense. If we see God sitting in the room with us, we can believe in Him easily and that doesn't require faith. We are trusting because we see with our eyes, hear His voice speaking to us, feel His hands if we take hold of Him. If we see the next step God has planned for us and the next and the next, we are certain and that require no faith. It's interesting how God told Abraham to get up and leave his father's house and country and go to a land where God would lead him. Abraham didn't have a detailed 15-year plan, a map, or even a set of instructions like we'd receive in order to set up our computers. He just - as far as we can tell - obeyed God without question. And even today Abraham is held in high esteem, a man honored by billions in this world. Several months ago I was talking to someone and he mentioned that there is no real friendship without trust. So how can we claim God as our loving and caring Heavenly Father, yet not trust Him? It seems rather insulting to Him in some ways, doesn't it? Faith - not certainty - is so important! We can't please God without it.
Do we walk by faith or by sight?
Hebrews 11:6 -- "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."
3 comments:
A) Cool picture.
B) I'd have to agree with the quote. If you *know* a thing, you don't need to have faith. It's a certainty. I *know* that there's gravity, I don't need to believe it, I *know* it, and therefore there are no doubts. Faith allows for doubt, it even encourages it - if you're not questioning your faith, it's blind, and imho, that's a terrible way to go through life.
Now, of course, I have faith, but I still question. I'd be the one poking my hands into the Wounds.
Heck, in the Garden? God probably wouldn't have gotten that whole, 'don't eat of the tree of knowledge..' command all the way out and I'd be up in the tree, reaching for the apples.
'Tree of *knowledge*, you say...'
*lightning bolt*
'AT LEAST LET ME FINISH BEFORE YOU DISOBEY!'
*smoke curls out of my hair in whisps*
'Right then. You were saying?'
Amber, you crack me up when you "act" out these little scenarios...haaa! :-D
Thanks, as always, for leaving your comments. I agree that I'd likely be the Thomas of the group. I have doubts and questions as well.
I'm glad you like the picture. I found it the other day and was thinking, "what can I say that would relate to this so I can use it on my blog?" So I just made up something cheesy this morning. I thought about Proverbs 3:6 or Psalm 23 about the Lord directing our paths, but that bridge looks SO "troubled" that I redirected my thoughts. :)
The scripture in the New Testament,,don't know where right now,,but it states..without hope, Abraham hoped and believed, and it was credited to him. This is what came to my heart when I read this....
Post a Comment