#180

The Faith Expert

Yesterday our church family sat in heat because the A/C was not working. I guess we all survived and I did work through my sermon perhaps more speedily than normal. We discovered on Monday that a series of breakers had popped off which did not allow the compressors to do their thing in the chiller (Yes, that is the system we have). As soon as the switch was thrown, compressors start compressing, chillers start chilling, pumps start pumping, valves start...uhm...valving, and we now have cool air. That simple! All we needed was an expert who knew what to do.

Of course I am trying to use this as an illustration.  I am wondering what it takes to make our spiritual system work at peak performance. I am wondering how many of us have just become content with the way things are spiritually. Have we just puttered and muttered along out there when there was so much more success available if we can just find the switch.

I know one thing that really excited Jesus, the expert on faith. He was electrified, and said so, when he observed or interacted with someone demonstrating great faith in Him and/or His Father. At some points He “marveled” at faith. At other points He compared it to the lacking faith of the Israelites.

He gets after us when our faith is replaced by senseless worry. The very ones that should have had faith, or at least a growing faith, were the ones that were chastised. At various points He asked them, “Where is Your Faith?”

Sometimes I think I am acting on faith when in reality I have made a decision based on reason or logic, or on personal preference (what I wanted in the first place) and I, not the expert, have christened it “faith.”

A troubling statement that Jesus makes to two blind men was, “According to your faith will it be done to you.” Why is it troubling? Those words were said in response to positive actions of faith on the part of those two blind men. Wonder if it still applies to those of us who at times have little or no faith, “According to your faith will it be done to you?” What are we missing when the faith breaker has been tripped “off?”

If we are going to flip the switch that springs God into action, it will be when we turn on our faith.

Hebrews 11:6

6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

At least, that is what the expert says.