SERVING SIX ONE

So many times I have read about the children of Israel as they wandered in the wilderness moaning and complaining to Moses and Aaron. Every time I have read about that I was both amazed, confused and sometimes downright annoyed that God did not just zap them right then and there and be done with them. I mean think about it. Here you have this group of people that cried out to God for deliverance. God sent Moses. He plagued the Egyptians that enslaved them. He gave them favor, delivered them from bondage and set them free. Then He opens the Red Sea, and swallows up and totally destroys their enemies.

From then on, He gives them water, feeds them honey cakes, then gives them meat that they did not even have to go and hunt and they still complain. He constantly saves them from the hands of their enemies and still they complain. One day, I asked God why He put up with them. I, in my arrogant, self-righteous state of mind, sat judging these ungrateful bunch of whiners until God quickly humbled me. He spoke and said that I was no different. He supplies my food, my drink, my clothing, my shelter from the storm. He gives me good health which I seem to always take for granted. He makes the sun shine on me in the morning and the moon by night. He provides exceedingly, abundantly more than many in this world have and yet I complain.

I complain when it’s too hot, or too cold. Yet there are so many in this world that live in the heat or have no shelter from the cold. I complain when my hair won’t fix just right. However, there are some that do not have hair left because it fell out due to chemotherapy. I complain when the red light is taking too long, when maybe I am being kept from a wreck down the road. I complain when my husband leaves stuff lying on the floor, when there are those who no longer have their spouses to pick up after. I complain when the house is dirty, when some have no home to get dirty. I complain when I can’t find something to wear, when in reality my closet is full and there are those that don’t have even a shirt of their own. Get the picture? Yeah, well I am not the only whining brat. I bet you do your share as well.

We complain so much, but how often are we thankful? Seriously, how many times do we just fill a day up with nothing but thanks for what we do have. Eyes to see, hands, feet, kids, husbands, wives, parents, houses, cars, computers, food, clothes, money, jobs, freedom. Hello? The list is unending. How about the air we breathe? Or the fact that we woke up this morning? that our family is alive? We take everything for granted and yet God is kind, loving, merciful and oh so very patient!!!! Wow, we serve an amazing, incredible God.

So, before you utter your next complaint. Before you get aggravated because something didn’t suit your fancy or go your way, STOP! Stop and thank the God who thought enough of you to form you to begin with. Thank Him that you were able to get up this morning, that your family is alive, that you have eyes to be able to read this blog post. Thank Him for everything and anything you can possible think of, especially for His patience in dealing with us. What an awesome Father we have!!

According to the New King James version Hebrews 11:1 tells us, “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” The New Living Translation version says “Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us the assurance about things we cannot see.” This tells us a few things that are vital in our walk with God. It also is the foundation of truth that we need to live a victorious life here on this earth.

Let’s examine the words of this well known verse. Let’s start with the word faith. Just what is faith? According to the dictionary (at least the top two entries), faith is confidence or trust in a person or thing. It is also defined as belief that is not based on proof. Now if we combine these two definitions we can surmise the following statement. Faith is believing in someone that we cannot see and trusting in that someone without reservations.

To have faith in God then, we must first believe in Him, although we cannot see Him. As Hebrews 11:6 states,”he who comes to God must believe that He is”… In other words we must believe that He exists, even though we cannot see Him. This is the first and most important part of faith. Once you believe in the Who, then you can trust that He will do!

Now that we have determined exactly what faith is, let’s look at the rest of Hebrews 11:1.It tells us “Faith is the substance”. Substance is what a thing consists of, the actual matter of a thing, and we learned in elementary school that matter is anything that has weight or takes up space. So faith is actually what gives weight or actuality to something.

Faith is the substance of what? It is the substance of things hoped for. Faith is what makes up what we hope for. And what does hope actually mean? Hope is the feeling that we can actually get what we wish we had or that events or circumstances will turn out for the best. So, faith then is the actual matter, the consistency, or what gives weight to what we wish we could have or have happen.

Now let’s look at the final part of Hebrews 11:1. The last part of the verse tells us that faith “is the evidence of things not seen.” Evidence, we all know is proof. Faith is the proof of the things we cannot see. It is our assurance that though our eyes do not behold it, it is a reality.

So let’s put it all together and see what it all means. Faith or trust in God is what gives weight, realness or credibility to what we wish we had. It is our proof of things that we cannot see with our physical eyes.

So don’t doubt. Have hope. Trust in God. Have faith. It is your assurance that things will turn out for good. If you can trust God and hope for the best, then you can have the things you cannot see.