Fri, Mar 30th - 7:37PM

Pearls In The Laundry Basket

  I've wondered for years about the mysterious relationship between trust and faith.  I guess I'm writing this in the hopes it will become more clear to me as it becomes visible on the page.  I don't think I have any revelation of either topic, but I can state what I do know:

1.  I can't have faith in God unless I trust Him.

2.  For me, it takes a decision to trust.

3.  I cannot please God without faith.

  Maybe it works like this: God gives me a measure of faith as a gift; I utilize the gift by choosing (willing) to trust.  If that is true, once again we see the typical bi-lateral arrangement between God and man - my part is the trust; His part is the faith.  Clear as mud - now we're getting somewhere!   Another example of what I've previously labeled, "simply complex".

  I have to admit that for me, trust is never natural.  With me, it is always, always a choice.  And when I fail to make that choice my faith fails and I wallow in doubt.  That's when I get lost and confused.  I think we all are created with a need to trust.  The problems arise when we trust in wrong choices, and there are many of them.  

  When is enough, enough?  With most of us the answer is a resounding Never.  When will we be good enough looking, or smart enough, or wealthy enough, etc. - Never.  Recently in church, I heard an excellent sermon concerning the difficulties of prosperity, (as opposed to poverty) with regard to trusting God.  It is obvious to all of us that we face bigger, tougher and more numerous temptations during periods of prosperity.  

  This week I've been stuck at home with a head cold.  With all the easily available medications for such maladies, it's easy to under-estimate the devastation of the common cold.  But this one has been a real tiger, and therein lies it's value to me.  All of a sudden I'm thrust upon God, and forced to re-evaluate my trust in Him.  He was not taken by surprise.  Of the two of us, I was the only one who didn't have "common cold" on my calendar this week.  And now, here I sit, once again looking for pearls in a laundry basket full of used handkerchiefs.

  My pearl this week is:  I can choose to stop feeling sorry for myself and start trusting in my God.  I can choose to look for Him with all my heart, rather than a healing, and win, lose, draw or get buried, when it's all over - I will still be trusting in Him.

  I now choose to trust God with my body - right now, and with my future while I'm on this earth.  I really think that if I discipline myself to trust Him in something small like a cold, I will train myself to trust Him for really big things.  And if I'm right, He will give me the faith I will be needing.  If I let it, this common cold might just result in a successful baby-step towards a life of faith.

  Maybe I should root through the laundry basket more often!

Fri, Mar 9th - 6:56PM

Hearts and Minds

  My father is quite a guy.  I've written about him before, and he presents quite a study for me.  Like most people, his real substance is more complex than it appears.  To me, he is interesting.  In today's world of information overload, I suppose it's possible that someone could actually learn much more about my dad than I'll ever know.  Books could perhaps be written about him, and stacks of facts compiled.  I just know his entire life could be chronicled in detail, and the compiler could rightfully brag to know more about my dad than my dad's own son...only...and this is a big "only" - THEY WOULDN'T KNOW HIM!!

  There will always be more people that appear to know more about God than any of us.  Every bible study, every church, every group always has at least one "expert".  And I suppose it's better to be an expert about God than most other things, but if that's all we are, we might miss the mark in the end.  It's simply a case of hearts and minds - in that order. 

  I must confess that prior to marriage, I never investigated my bride's pedigree, nor did I compile and digest discoverable facts about her.  I never had her fingerprints checked through someone's database, nor did I perform a criminal background check.  I just fell in love.  Heart first - facts later.  I guess that's why although I love her more than ever, she seems to be a different person to me than when we first met.  I suppose facts do matter, but in this context, not without love.

  For three decades I strove to know about God, but after all those years were tallied, I think I failed to know Him.  Now this is a pretty elementary issue, but don't be fooled - it's also absolutely vital to each of us headed for Eternity to recognize, and live the difference.  If we can feed our hearts with Him, our minds will follow.  If we only feed our minds with facts about Him, we will not necessarily benefit from His life.  We will, however, assume the role of a local "expert".

  Just speaking for myself, I think I will be better served to know Him.  If I drop, or never learn a few facts along the way, I'm sure I'll learn them later in a better place!

John