I adore words! The love of words is in my genetic code, I think. My mom is a crossword puzzle “genius” and my paternal grandmother used to solve crossword puzzles in pen! I think my interest in words was fed and nurtured through all the years of my childhood when my mom told us to “look it up” every time we asked her how to spell a word! Those were the days (waay back in history!) when a dictionary – a book with a cover and many hundreds of actual pages – were our resource for word spellings and meanings.
This love affair with words explains why I became a writer, I imagine – it’s just a natural progression. To that end, I subscribe to a “word a day” through ezines@arcamax.com. Yes, I actually have a “word” emailed to me every day. Today’s word is incontrovertible. It means “impossible to dispute; unquestionable.”
If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. [1 John 4:15 NIV]. My faith in Christ as Savior, the Promised One in history, the Messiah is incontrovertible! It is just not something I argue about. I don’t argue because for me there is no debate! I don’t argue or debate it because to engage in an argument or debate means that one party convinces the other of their point of view.
I know!!! What about discipleship? What about broadcasting the Good News to the ends of the earth? That’s not the same as arguing! You see, debate and argument are matters of the head—the mind. Faith is a matter of the heart. My faith is incontrovertible. And it’s not something I argue about with others. I will never be convinced that Christianity is a lie or that the Bible is fiction.
That doesn’t mean I deny my faith or try to cover up the fact that I am a Christian. I am who and what I am because I AM a Christian. My faith defines how I live my life – every aspect of my life. I have lost free-lance writing jobs – and even a nanny job – because when the potential employer visited my website it was obvious to them that I am a Christian.
I’m not even going to call those situations persecution. They are not at all! But I won’t change the information on my website in order to get more work or to be thought of in a certain way either. My Christianity is important to me but more than that, it defines how I would be and am as an employee, contractor and a person. I have a great deal of integrity; I am honest and fair to a fault. I have an impeccable work ethic and expect the same of others. I am kind and generous, loving and compassionate. I always try to do the right thing.
Ah . . . but don’t think I’ve listed anywhere on my website or in any biographical or demographic information about myself that I am a sinner. I won’t document the numerous ways I sin on a regular basis, but suffice it to say I am flawed, broken and imperfect. That truth is also incontrovertible. That is why I try very, very hard to be as good a Christian as I can. My sinfulness is also what keeps me very humble and deters me from judging others.
My life, like my faith, is pretty straightforward.
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. [Romans 8:37-39 NIV]
Showing posts with label faithful. Show all posts
Showing posts with label faithful. Show all posts
Monday, December 1, 2008
Friday, October 17, 2008
Is God Faithful?
That's a rather provacative question, I realize! It's one that many are probably asking in light of the current economic situation in our country and around the world. Perhaps you're not saying it out loud to anyone, but certainly you must wonder . . . Or perhaps you are in good financial shape and will be able to weather the next couple of years pretty handily, but you have health issues, or a loved one is dying, or your child is involved in risky behaviors--or you are.
Whatever is going on in the world -- or in your little part of it, this question looms large at some point for each of us. I know that God is, indeed faithful! Throughout the last two years, my husband and I have learned to live on about 1/2 of our previous salary. It has been a struggle at times, because while we were comfortable at our former income level, we didn't live at all extravagantly or one penny beyond our means. So, to now have half of what was not exhorbitant . . .
And yet each month, especially in the months we thought we might need to put an expense on a credit card or figure out some other way to pay an unexpected bill or expenditure, the money came, just in time. Really!! I'm not kidding! Some months it meant that I received free lance writing work with an "ASAP" deadline that was over and above the work I had planned to be paid for. Sometimes it meant we received a refund for a bill we had double-paid months ago without realizing it.
One month, my husband's car was due for inspection. He asked me before he left, what should I do if the bill is $500 or so? You guessed it: his car passed inspection without the need for the expensive repair he had anticipated. Our health insurance does not cover many common medications. One medication I take is expensive and is one that is not covered. My doctor asked me about the prescription on a recent visit and I mentioned that it cost a lot, but that I felt it was effective. She gave me a 10-week supply of samples from her office.
So it sounds as if I say God is faithful because He has made financial provision for us over the past two years. But how would I respond to that question had our home been foreclosed on or had one of us become too ill to work? I like to think I would still feel the same way. I would hope that I would see the blessings I received in every situation. Like Paul, I would hope to rejoice in want and in plenty, in good health and in illness.
Some may believe that all of my examples are merely coincidences. Some may not believe that God acts so personally and precisely in our lives. I happen to disagree! I don't believe He's been providing for us financially because we are so faithful! I believe He is so faithful so that we learn to rely upon Him! I don't know about you, but that reliance does not come naturally to me. I am by nature a fairly industrious, self-sufficient individual. I'm not used to relying upon others for what I need or want.
Those are good qualities, but not when they are exclusive of dependence upon God! I believe that God is so faithful, so often, because I need to constantly be reminded of the source of everything in my life--everything! Christ died on the Cross to afford me eternal life! There is no other provision I can imagine needing or wanting.
Our challenge is to remember the Cross and to rejoice that no matter what happens to us in this life, God has already made provision for us in heaven.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. [1 John 1:9 RSV]
Therefore he had to be made like his brethren in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make expiation for the sins of the people. [Hebrews 2:17 RSV]
But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from evil. [2 Thessalonians 3:3]
Whatever is going on in the world -- or in your little part of it, this question looms large at some point for each of us. I know that God is, indeed faithful! Throughout the last two years, my husband and I have learned to live on about 1/2 of our previous salary. It has been a struggle at times, because while we were comfortable at our former income level, we didn't live at all extravagantly or one penny beyond our means. So, to now have half of what was not exhorbitant . . .
And yet each month, especially in the months we thought we might need to put an expense on a credit card or figure out some other way to pay an unexpected bill or expenditure, the money came, just in time. Really!! I'm not kidding! Some months it meant that I received free lance writing work with an "ASAP" deadline that was over and above the work I had planned to be paid for. Sometimes it meant we received a refund for a bill we had double-paid months ago without realizing it.
One month, my husband's car was due for inspection. He asked me before he left, what should I do if the bill is $500 or so? You guessed it: his car passed inspection without the need for the expensive repair he had anticipated. Our health insurance does not cover many common medications. One medication I take is expensive and is one that is not covered. My doctor asked me about the prescription on a recent visit and I mentioned that it cost a lot, but that I felt it was effective. She gave me a 10-week supply of samples from her office.
So it sounds as if I say God is faithful because He has made financial provision for us over the past two years. But how would I respond to that question had our home been foreclosed on or had one of us become too ill to work? I like to think I would still feel the same way. I would hope that I would see the blessings I received in every situation. Like Paul, I would hope to rejoice in want and in plenty, in good health and in illness.
Some may believe that all of my examples are merely coincidences. Some may not believe that God acts so personally and precisely in our lives. I happen to disagree! I don't believe He's been providing for us financially because we are so faithful! I believe He is so faithful so that we learn to rely upon Him! I don't know about you, but that reliance does not come naturally to me. I am by nature a fairly industrious, self-sufficient individual. I'm not used to relying upon others for what I need or want.
Those are good qualities, but not when they are exclusive of dependence upon God! I believe that God is so faithful, so often, because I need to constantly be reminded of the source of everything in my life--everything! Christ died on the Cross to afford me eternal life! There is no other provision I can imagine needing or wanting.
Our challenge is to remember the Cross and to rejoice that no matter what happens to us in this life, God has already made provision for us in heaven.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. [1 John 1:9 RSV]
Therefore he had to be made like his brethren in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make expiation for the sins of the people. [Hebrews 2:17 RSV]
But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from evil. [2 Thessalonians 3:3]
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)