"And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness."
(Genesis 15:6 NKJV)
One night Abraham is in his tent conversing with God, just as one talks to his best friend. Haunted by this son who does not come, he again urges divine intervention. And his God takes him by the arm and drags him outside, forcing him to come out into the open and lift his gaze beyond the tent: "Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them" (v. 5). At that vision and those words, Scripture declares that "he believed." The writer to the Hebrews will write that "without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him" (Hebrews 11:6). What believer does not have in his heart the desire to please and please his God? Here, then, we are ready to accomplish who knows what feat, climb mountains, travel rough paths, in order to receive his approval. Scripture, on the other hand, minimizes and makes everything tremendously simple, at least apparently. To please God one must have faith, for without it "it is impossible to please him."
As a providential and benign Father, God has given us the gift of faith (Ephesians 2:8-9), the most important gift, which enables us to believe and grasp His promises, but also to honor His requests. The seed of faith can be nurtured and cultivated through the Word and the preaching of it (Romans 10:17), the only means of growing from faith to faith. Rather than saying we have no faith, or not enough faith, let us run for cover. To those who complain of little faith, I ask if they have some hope then, for "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1). Faith finds valid support on hope, for if "those who hope in the LORD soar" (Isaiah 40:31), those who believe first move from hope to certainty, and then certainty turns into demonstration of God's faithfulness.
These days mark the anniversary of the death of a man who left a lasting mark for his small faith in an immense God. George Müller ended his earthly journey on the evening of March 9, 1898, after having spent a long life on behalf of the weakest, founding orphanages and schools and traveling the world proclaiming the Gospel. He was born on September 27, 1805, in Prussia. For thousands of children his work was their only chance for survival. His life is a continuous experience that God really does keep what He promises in a way that is always on time according to His timing, which makes it really tiring to totally put your faith in Him alone. When you understand that "those who are in the flesh cannot please God" (Romans 8:8), then you will no longer shy away from your neighbor's need. Likewise, each of us, "as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts" (1 Thessalonians 2:4).
He is and remains the rewarder of those who seek Him. To His eye nothing escapes, even when we look away, preferring indifference that repels the divine breath. Our faith can (and must) nurture hope and commitment, for beyond what others say or do, I continue to believe that God does not stand by and watch. Probably in these days a challenge stands before you. The flood, the Red Sea, the desert, the giants of Canaan, just a few biblical circumstances that remind us that what we have before us is yes a problem, but it can also turn out to be an opportunity. "... if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you" (Matthew 17:20). As Demosthenes stated, know that there is an island of opportunity within every difficulty. After all, "life is very simple. There are no problems, only prospects. When you have difficulties you have opportunities!" (H. Kaiser). Even today you can act for and by faith, and thus please God.
Weekly Bible Reading Plan # 10
March 05 Numbers 32-34; Mark 9:30-50
March 06, Numbers 35-36; Mark 10:1-31
March 07, Deuteronomy 1-3; Mark 10:32-52
March 08, Deuteronomy 4-6; Mark 11:1-18
March 09, Deuteronomy 7-9; Mark 11:19-33
March 10, Deuteronomy 10-12; Mark 12:1-27
March 11, Deuteronomy 13-15; Mark 12:28-44