What is Faith? II ...

Thursday, March 23, 2017. It is faith that is in the center of all biblical books. What is faith? Faith is a universe by its own. It is rich. It is deep. It is fascinating. It is passive, active, listening, speaking …

Increase our faith! …

When you look for words about faith, you find quite different statements by Jesus. He gives far reaching promises. He performs miracles in the name of faith to God, his father. He calls people from death to life! And he talks about the power of faith:

Lk 17,5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” Lk 17,6 And the Lord said, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you. Lk 17,19 And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.” (from Luke)

When talking about faith, some of us have a lot of questions. That is no wonder - depending on where we are, and what our personal history and background is, we will have many questions. At the same time, God is there and wants to move forward with us - from where we are, into faith, a living and vivid faith!

Power of Faith …

Jesus talks about the power of faith. Yet, we all know that he, with all his faith, went to the cross and suffered under the hands of those, who persecuted him. He calls us to follow him, and take up our cross. Faith life is not a life which would resemble the heros of modern action films. But it is another kind of hero we find in faith life: the hero of truth and love, the hero of honesty and more!

The power of faith is first of all to recognize our limitations. It is a power of honesty. It is purity as well - not the purity of having no wrinkles, but the purity of seeing our wrinkles. There is purity in admitting the dark sides within us, and bringing all to the Lord. He loves us deeply and will not destroy us, on the contrary.

When we come to the Lord with all, what we have and what we are, he gives us the freedom of eternal life. It is life at the bottom of life. It is life deep in the depth of the ocean, high in the height of the sky. It is life at its best, with pain and joy, with defeat and success. It is life with him, the creator, source and purpose, beginning and end! (Roland Potthast) ... more texts