What faith is...

Today in the high school group we discussed the marks of faith in God. Faith is not based on what we receive from God, but is active reliance upon the character of God as revealed in scripture. It is a tragic fact that many people read the Word of God, but do not know God personally. In a day when the focus is predominately on what God has done or can do for us, it is high time we started simply magnifying the character of God's nature. The reason why we are blessed by what God does is because of who He is. God is good, so all He does is good. God is righteous, so all He does is perfect.

A biography gives a small glimpse into the heart of a person. An autobiography even more so, because it is written from a first-person perspective. The Bible is God's autobiography, His living will and testament. In its pages we see that God is all-powerful, all-knowing, and without sin. Every attribute of God is infinite: He is just as well as gracious, loving as well as true. Not one attribute nullifies another and is like a facet in a jewel that increases the beauty of reflective light. It would be a waste to read God's Word and not come away with increased knowledge of God. The scriptures were given that we might know and believe on Christ, as John states in John 20:31: "...these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name."

How we can sell God short by only dwelling on what He does! Who He is should be our focus! In talking with a friend today, he talked about how an acquaintance (I'll just call him Joe) spoke with George Lucas and Steven Spielberg. They carried on a brief and rather awkward discussion about the newest Indiana Jones movie. Joe had seen movies directed by these two, especially Star Wars and Indiana Jones. He knew the works of Lucas and Spielberg very well. He could talk about the history of the films, quote lines from them, and perhaps even explain how they were directed and produced. But Joe didn't know Lucas and Spielberg on a personal level. He had no intimate knowledge of them personally: things they love, ways they deal with stress, how it would be to work with them, their political views, or future dreams. It was a brief, shallow, and superficial interaction that fell far short of a meaningful conversation.

For a lot of Christians, this same awkward "relationship" (which is likely a stretch to use the term) parallels the relationship they have with God. They know that Jesus has died to save them from their sins. They know that God loves them, that Jesus is the Good Shepherd, and that He hears our prayers. The focus is on what He does rather than on who He is. We are like a kid at his fifth birthday party who is completely focused on the loot he will receive rather than the people who demonstrate their love through the giving of gifts. Not every child is like that, of course, but we must guard ourselves from focusing on the gift rather than the giver, what we receive rather than Who is giving!

I was challenged by this thought today. I am resolved to make sure I dwell upon the characteristics and attributes of God in my prayers, when I meditate on the Word, and in preaching. I'm going to keep my eyes open and my heart ready to receive more light concerning God's character. Isn't it amazing that God cannot be taught? Nothing needs to be explained to Him or catches Him off-guard. Isn't it wonderful that God does not change? Our bodies change and perspective changes as we grow older and the realization hits that things we once thought were so important are simply the small dust on the scales. God has been right since before time began. I praise and thank Him for that! God is good, and in Him is no shadow of turning. All glory to Him who was, is, and who is to come!