If
you love someone and you finish up getting angry with them, do you
still love them? Possibly not, but if we are to obey the command to
love one another as God has loved us (agape love - John 13:34), then
our love will be unconditional, and we will chose to love them even
when we don’t feel like it. Faith is also like this, in that we
also choose to believe when we don’t feel like it. True love knows
(by faith) that we are loved even when we are angry, even when
circumstances could cause us to doubt. The Scripture inform of us of
what we need to know by faith when we encounter trials, tribulations
and difficulties. Romans 5:1-5 speaks of the access we have by faith
into the grace which equips us to rejoice and to glory in
tribulations knowing ..... In fact there are many things to know by
faith.
First
of all knowing that we are justified by faith, and that nothing can
separate us from the His love is
foundational (Romans 5:1; 8:31). Everything else is built on
this. We also need to know that God is actively at work for good even
in tribulation, that He is making us more like Jesus, to be fruitful
for the Kingdom (Romans 8:28, 29). In other words we need to know by
faith that the trials, tribulations and difficulties are the vehicles
God uses to strengthen us, and to accomplish this character polishing
(Chapter 5:3,4). Well there are many other things, but I want to talk
a little more about this “knowing by faith.” And I want to come
back to some of the things we were saying earlier about covenant
(February 13-15).
In
particular, using the analogy of the marriage covenant as God
intended it to be, I want to quote again something that Jordon
Peterson said about why we need vows (covenant) in marriage. He says
it is because “You are trouble, and so am I.” In other words
because in many things we all fail (James 3:2), we will encounter
each other’s faults and it will not be pretty at times. But when we
take the covenant the way we are intended to take it, we will both
“know by faith” that the other person is not leaving, no matter
what! I am not talking about such things as abuse here, that is a
topic for another time. No, I am using the analogy to talk about our
covenant, our commitment to the Lord. Now the Lord will never abuse
us, though He may allow all kinds trials, tribulations and
difficulties. We do need to know (again by faith) that He will not
ask us to go through anything that Jesus had not gone through first
(Hebrews 4:15), and He will never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews
13:5). And are we not soldiers, should we not expect hardships?
Father,
You are faithful and true and just, and You will not allows us to be
tempted tested or tried to the point where we, by Your Grace, are not
able to endure. And when we fully commit to You and walk in Your
ways, You always provide the way to escape (1 Corinthians 10:13). And
when we fail, as we all do from time to time, You are faithful and
just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John
1:9). Give us grace this morning Lord to receive grace to “stand
and having done all to stand (Ephesians 6:13) in Jesus Name
Amen
No comments:
Post a Comment