Give us more faith

Where does faith come from? From God. We cannot conjure it up and it is non-existent unless we realize that our faith is not only in God but from Him. He is the giver of all good things and that includes the faith we need to keep trusting Him. My faith wavers..there are days when I wonder who I am. Did I wake up an atheist? My heart is weighed down and my spirit sags. My life seems to be on hold and my dreams feel dead.

Where is God? I have forgotten His faithfulness..difficulties have come between us. There is nothing else to do but run as fast as possible in His direction..even if I am dragging myself along. He meets me as soon as I move toward Him.  It is like the story of the prodigal son who wasted his inheritance..when he returned home his father embraced him and showered him with love and attention.

God’s faithfulness is unlike anything we can ask or imagine. His plans for our lives are far deeper and richer than our minds can comprehend. Our perspective of what is happening is nothing compared to the larger story that He is unveiling. Our lives have huge significance and He is always working to change us.. to transform us and to bring wholeness into our lives. If we run away..He runs after us. If we stand still.. He embraces us. If we fall.. He picks us up. If we lack faith..He fills us. If we are drowning..He saves us. If we need help.. He rescues us.

The Runaway Bunny

 

Once there was a little bunny who wanted to run away.
So he said to his mother, “I am running away.”
“If you run away,” said his mother, “I will run after you.
For you are my little bunny.”

“If you run after me,” said the little bunny,
“I will become a fish in a trout stream
and I will swim away from you.”

“If you become a fish in a trout stream,” said his mother,
“I will become a fisherman and I will fish for you.”

“If you become a fisherman,” said the little bunny,
“I will become a rock on the mountain, high above you.”

“If you become a rock on the mountain high above me,”
said his mother, “I will become a mountain climber,
and I will climb to where you are.”

“If you become a mountain climber,”
said the little bunny,
“I will be a crocus in a hidden garden.”

“If you become a crocus in a hidden garden,”
said his mother, “I will be a gardener. And I will find you.”

“If you are a gardener and find me,”
said the little bunny, “I will be a bird
and fly away from you.”

“If you become a bird and fly away from me,”
said his mother, “I will be a tree that you come home to.”

“If you become a tree,” said the little bunny,
“I will become a little sailboat,
and I will sail away from you.”

“If you become a sailboat and sail away from me,”
said his mother, “I will become the wind
and blow you where I want you to go.”

“If you become the wind and blow me,” said the little bunny,
“I will join a circus and fly away on a flying trapeze.”

“If you go flying on a flying trapeze,” said his mother,
“I will be a tightrope walker,
and I will walk across the air to you.”

“If you become a tightrope walker and walk across the air,”
said the bunny, “I will become a little boy
and run into a house.”

“If you become a little boy and run into a house,”
said the mother bunny, “I will become your mother
and catch you in my arms and hug you.”

“Shucks,” said the bunny, “I might just as well
stay where I am and be your little bunny.”

And so he did.
“Have a carrot,” said the mother bunny.

All wrapped up

That’s the way I feel the day after Christmas. The packages are all unwrapped and the anticipation is over.. but I feel pretty wrapped up and ready to unwind. I love this week before the year ends. There is a quietness and a peace that seems to fall on everyone. We are all tired and some of us actually get down time..time to rest..to reflect..just to be. The flurry of activity leading up to Christmas is gone and we are able to step back from life and prepare for the year to end.

Since I was born on New Years Eve.. this is a very special time for me. My year ends right about the time when 2011 ends. I begin a brand new year of my life on January 1, 2012.. the same day you can begin a brand new year. It doesn’t have to be your birthday..you can have a new beginning..a fresh start. Periodically we need these things..markers of one season ending and another one coming. As we look ahead we can ask God to renew our hope..to strengthen us..to enable us to continue living fully with Him.

I enjoy the opportunity this provides for dreaming, renewing old desires, remembering, trusting, and believing. We are entering unknown territory as 2012 unfolds. We can anticipate new adventures, gifts, and blessings from the hand of our Provider.  Yes.. there will be difficulties and challenges..but He is going to equip us and strengthen us as we face these things. Our God is with us!

Lord, I pray for each person reading this today..Prepare each one for the things that lie ahead and renew their hope. We want to end this year with our eyes on you. We need more faith..we need more of you. Keep us in the shadow of your wings and fill our hearts with gratefulness. We love you and we trust you!

 

All things..

Yes..everything. It all works together for the good of those who love God. How? The Bible says that He causes this..it is His plan. He has a plan that includes every detail of our lives..Do you believe that? Not many believers do. We believe He is real. We read the book. We know that He helps those who help themselves..No that is not in the Bible..we add that ourselves. That is not the way it works in the kingdom of God.

He is at work all the time..doing so many things that we cannot imagine. His plan is unfolding for our lives as we walk with Him. He is behind the scenes putting all the pieces in place for what is going to be revealed. He is redeeming the years that the locusts have eaten. He is preparing us for our next season and working on our behalf in more ways that we can imagine. Our part is to believe this and to live as though it were true..because it is! 

Remember the story of Abraham and Sarah? God promised them that they were going to have a child and they waited and waited and waited. Finally Abraham tired of waiting and took things in his own hands. He had a son with his servant Hagar..and lived to regret that decision. Then God spoke to both Abraham and Sarah telling them again that they would have a son and they both laughed. They were too old and they knew it. God kept His promise despite their unbelief. He was working on their behalf and knew exactly when He would fulfill that promise.

Why do you think their story is told? Because we are them. We don’t believe God and we laugh to ourselves when we walk in that unbelief. We are actually saying..God is not able.. He does not care..it is too late. Abraham and Sarah learned to believe God..He taught them about His faithfulness and stayed with them through thick and thin as they learned the lessons He was teaching them. He does the same thing with our lives. He tests our faith and waits for us to begin believing Him when we cannot see..trusting in His faithfulness..knowing that He has a plan for us.

Then the Lord said to Abraham,” Why did Sarah laugh?” Why did she say “Can an old woman like me have a baby?” Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return about this time next year and Sarah will have a son.  Sarah was afraid so she denied it saying “I didn’t laugh.” But the Lord said “No, you did laugh.”