FAITH MEANS HAVING COMPLETE TRUST IN AN UNSEEN SAVIOR

BIBLE PASSAGE:
“For we walk by faith, not by sight.”
(2 Corinthians 5:7)

MEDITATION:
In John chapter four, we read the story of a roman official
whose son was gravely ill. But Jesus chose not to go to the
son to heal him.
    The royal official said, “Sir, come down before my child dies.”
    “Go,” Jesus replied, “your son will live.” The man took Jesus
    at his word and departed. While he was still on the way, his
    servants met him with the news that his boy was living. When
    he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to
    him, “Yesterday, at one in the afternoon, the fever left him.”
    Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which
    Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” So he and his whole
    household believed. (John 4:49-53)

There were other times when Jesus went to lay His hands on the
sick and they recovered. Why didn’t He do that this time? It was
probably for our sake that He did not go to the sick child. Too
often some of us think,
    “If only I could have the physical presence
     of Jesus, then I will have the blessings of Jesus”.

We say to ourselves,
    “If only I lived back then.” or,
    “It will be wonderful when Jesus returns.”
But we don’t have to live in the past or in the future, we have
His Word today. And it’s just as real and powerful as if He was
here in the flesh. Time and distance makes no difference.

ACTION:
We need to have the same kind of faith as the household of
the roman official with an ill child. Even though Jesus was
not present with them, his whole family believed. Jesus
reminded him (and us) that faith is not based on a physical
presence of Jesus.
    “Unless you people see signs and wonders,”
     Jesus told him, “you will never believe.” (John 4:48)
It has been well said:
    “When you can’t trace His hand, trust His heart.”

Read Colossians 1:9-14.
    For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have
    not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill
    you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom
    and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live
    a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing
    fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,
    being strengthened with all power according to his glorious
    might so that you may have great endurance and patience,
    and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified
    you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the
    kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion
    of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he
    loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Look at what Paul prayed for the Colossians:
    – Knowledge and insight (into the will and purposes of God).
    – A pleasing walk (a walk that pleases the Lord in every way).
    – Spiritual power (endurance and patience).
   – A thankful heart.

His prayers for them were based on these realities:
    – Christians have an inheritance.
    – Christians have been rescued from darkness.
    – Christians are included in His kingdom.
    – Christians are redeemed and forgiven.
These are valuable realities that we should remember as
we continue our journey of pleasing and serving the Lord.

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, thank You for rescuing me from darkness,
redeeming and forgiving me, giving me an inheritance, and
including me in Your kingdom. I pray that I will live a life of
thankfulness that is pleasing to You. Thank You for the Holy
Spirit Who gives me the spiritual power to live a life of
resistance to temptations, and a desire to use my spiritual
gifts to serve You.”

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