You may have experience something like this one time or another with your child.  While sitting in a church service. your daughter leans next to you laying her head on your shoulder. After a few minutes, she returns to her sitting position. If you asked your daughter afterwards, she would most likely comment something to the fact that it feels good to lean against someone who loves you; to lean on someone that makes you feel loved, and loves you no matter what. When she does it, isn’t she really saying to you that she loves you and feels safe with you. Doesn’t it also make us smile because it’s the same feeling we have with God. It feels good to lean on Him.

As adults, most of us feel all grown up. However, if we are truly honest with ourselves, most of us would have to make a confession. We do not. Oh yes, we may be grown up physically, mentally, emotionally, and socially. But spiritually is another story. We are kids still in awe of our Dad. He’s so big and strong that we feel so small and inadequate in his presence. Just like a child comparing himself with his parent. At times we may feel grown up like our parents, but deep inside we realize that they are a little older and more experienced than we are at the present moment. But isn’t it reassuring that we will grow up to become like them?

As a child finds comfort in knowing there is someone who loves her and will take care of her as she grows, we likewise find comfort with our heavenly Dad. When times become difficult, when the direction is difficult to choose, when the pain becomes unbearable, when friends are few, when the financial resources run scarce, it’s comforting to know we have a loving Dad who cares about us and is always available to be leaned against.

We can be sure that God feels good being leaned against. Just like it makes us feel good when our child leans against us. We can be sure that God enjoys a similar experience.  Just as we want to give our children the best of everything, including the best education and character development, we know that God wants to give the best to us. It’s very comforting to know that help is only one lean away.

OUR PRAYER

Our Great, Comforting and Dependable Dad, thank you for always being available when we need you. Though at times you seem so far removed, and sometimes like you don’t even know us, we have come to know that you are always present.

You give us reassurance when we most need it. You give us comfort when it hurts. You give us your shoulder to lean against when the load becomes too heavy. You give more than we ever request.

When you refrain from immediately answering our prayers as we desire, you still answer in a way that gives us comfort and peace that you are in control and everything will work out for the best.  All this is because of Jesus who we make this request through. Thank you. Thank you.  Amen.  Amen.

Have you ever taken a minute to list all the words opposite of faith? Here are a few that come to mind at this time: fear, doubt, sight, unbelieving, dishonest, inconstant, fickle, wavering, fluctuating, disloyal, untruthful, untrusting, unreliant, and unsteadfast. Ever experience one of these unfaithful moments?

It’s a dumb question because we all have tasted the negative reaction of living life apart from faith at one time or another. For many of us though, it may be the majority of our lives. We grow up being beaten down by society, peers, employers, and yes even family and friends. Apart from the grace of God, we learn to live in fear, or place our hope on superstition, self-confidence, or hero worship. All which eventually fail us. Then what is a person to do?

As a disciple of His, we have come to learn from Him. We have come to develop a relationship with a Living Being that controls the universe. A Living Entity that has created everything for the ultimate purpose of preparing a people who one day will rule the universe with Him. Those who have surrendered to Him, He has given them real gifts of life and blessings reserved for His children. One of those gifts is the precious spirit of faith in Him.

When we begin to walk with Him in faith, our experiences are limited. However,  as problems arise and challenges abounded, circumstances occurred that increased our faith. Whenever the events are greater than us, weturned to God. He then turns our attitudes and focus unto Him where we begin to see the circumstances, people’s hearts, and events as He sees it.  Many times we then realize they are really in our favor. He reveals to us His awesome power through miracles in our life. In our early walk with Him, the miracles are probably more than today. Today, it seems that the miracles are more sporadic. Maybe, the faith that has been built-up over the years has grown where the next time our faith is being challenged the miracle is going to be the biggest and best yet. It is one thing to live by faith for the small things in life, but it’s another to live by faith for the larger things in life.

As Jesus explained, the faith of a mustard seed moves mount·ains. We as a people often focus on the relationship between the large mountain and the small seed. We see how large the mountain is compared to the small seed and based on our physical understandings would bet on the mountain all the time. However, remember that in God’s hand that mustard seed is just as great if not greater. A mustard seed’s potential is that it can grow and multiply. The mountain cannot. A mustard seed can grow and multiply until it covers the entire mountain. It can continue to grow and cover the entire mountain. It can continue to grow where eventually you would have enough trees that could pile up higher and weight more than the mountain. Get the point?

Living with faith means trusting in a Heavenly Dad that loves us and wants what is best for us; it believes that He has our best interest at heart and will work with us to develop it. As a disciple of His, we live everyday with faith in Him. Our faith may be challenged and our faith may fall short of the mark. But, He will teach us, love us, and direct us so that the faith we exercise is pleasing to Him. And He will bless us accordingly.

As the old song goes, “We walk by faith and not by sight.”

OUR PRAYER

Our Heavenly Dad, help our unbelief. Help us develop a closer relationship with you. Help us to walk with you. Help us to see life through your eyes; to evaluate our circumstances and surroundings with you the central core.

We praise you and worship you. Let your faith live in us and through us. Let everything we believe and act upon be done for your glory and honor.  Let this life be a living example of your way of life. Let your spirit come alive and breathe through us. Let your faith surround us. Whenever doubt arrives, let faith stand up and be victorious. Let faith be your living power expressed in this life.  We thank you, praise you, and bless you. Amen.

Again we ask, what. is our motivation for being a disciple of His? Is it the money, the status, or the immediate gratification of pleasure? Or is it something else? Would you believe it is possible to give, to serve. and to love others simply because the process is more satisfying than not?

The other day we witnessed a man cleaning up after church long past the end of the last service. He voluntarily gave his time to pickup because he recognized the person who was assigned the responsibility for that day was not in attendance and no one else step up to the plate. As we walked by, our face broke into a big smile. His reward was more than most people are willing to wait for. He knows that his good, heavenly Dad takes very good care of him and will reward him accordingly. His reward may come immediate. His reward may be delayed for years. Or, most likely, his reward awaits him in the eternal kingdom.

As disciples, our emphasis is not on rewards. The emphasis is on godliness. Does God give so He can receive a reward? Does God love the difficult person (which we all are most of time) for a reward? Does God intervene on behalf of our prayers so He can receive a reward? We think not. God’s motivation is not “what’s in it for me?” His motivation is outward. His motivation is to build us up to become like Him. Not for His eternal salvation, but for ours.

No, our reward is not the motivation that makes us a disciple of His. Whatever and however God wants to reward us is His business. Our reward is found in Him, having a personal relationship with Him, and trusting Him with our life. We are not a disciple of His for personal gain, but for God’s glory.  Only when all people make Him central in their lives, surrender everything under His domain, and serve Him with all their heart, mind, and soul, will we have a world of real peace, prosperity, and happiness for ALL.

OUR PRAYER

Our Loving Dad and Lord, we thank you for redeeming us, forgiving us, and closing your eyes to our wasteful living. Thank you for blessing us with a rich, abundant life in you. We long for that eternal time when our training is complete and we are like you in every way. Until then, we thank you, praise you, and glorify you before all.

Help our motivation always to be pure in your presence. If there is anything that needs to change, be merciful with us and make the appropriate changes in our life. Let this life not be in vain, but let it shine for your glory.  We await our reward with you in heaven. Until then, provide for our needs as you see fit.  Thank you, Jesus.