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Deutsche Version | Wiki Start | Topics Collection ix
What happens with faith? ...
Wednesday, Jan 18, 2017. Faith can be fascinating and great. Yet, there can be sincere misunderstanding sometimes which can lead you into trouble. Too many times I had these discussions about: why does God not help here or there? And it is a good question, which deserves answers or at least a setup which explains how God sees things and does things!
Experiences with Faith …
The word faith is used extensively both in the Old Testament and the New Testament. We also learn about the far reaching meaning of faith. When it comes to the effect of faith, it is good to listen to a deep passage of Hebrews. Let us read first:
32 And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. 35 Women received back their dead by resurrection.
Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. 36 Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two,1 they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— 38 of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. 39 And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40 since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect. (from Hebrews 11)
Faith tested …
Here, we see that faith itself is no automatic process which leads to some desired result. Faith is much more, much deeper and much more universal than just helping us to achieve this or that. We need to keep in mind that faith is trust in the Lord.
Faith is a trust which is able to let go. When you see the faith of the Old Testament people, you see faith which says: I will trust, even if I am going to die! People have shown very strong trust in the Lord, a trust which we have our difficulties with today. It is not the stupid trust which terrorists show, who kill others and think they could get a reward for it. It is the trust which keeps honesty and faith, which keeps love and solidarity active even when it is threatened strongly!
And God's perspective is large. He is there, today, with you and with me. But his view also sees eternity. It sees the new creation, the life beyond death. So the trust we are asked to develop in and through faith is one which lets him decide. He is the sovereign creator, completely trustworthy, but with deep wisdom which is much deeper than our current wishes and our little insight into the processes in this world! Jesus has been upset about people not trusting God today and tomorrow - where trust was put into eternity only. At the same time we need to give him the freedom to do what is best, even if this means we experience pain today. (Roland Potthast) ... more texts