THE SUBSTANCE OF FAITH

The online dictionary defines "faith" as "complete confidence in someone or something and strong belief in God or in the doctrines of religion, based on spiritual apprehension rather than proof."  Of course this definition led me to look up the word apprehension as it applies in the definition.  The dictionary says "apprehension" means "understanding, grasp".  

My Bible defines "faith" in the famous faith chapter of Hebrews 11 in the very first verse that

 "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."  Hebrews ll:l

If you have not read that chapter ever, not read it in a while, or read it yesterday, I encourage you to read it again.  It gives short accounts of all these people from the scriptures who trusted and lived by faith.  I often wonder what the verse would say in that chapter if it said, "By faith, this blog writer _____".  Most of time I'm realistic and realize that my faith doesn't measure up.  No, I come up WAY short.  

My thoughts lately have been so scattered and therefore I have not written any new posts in a while.  Nobody likes to read scattered....or at least more scattered than usual.

Today I'm writing a praise of sorts for the substance of faith that keeps one holding on to these confidences and strong beliefs.  In fact the sermon on Sunday was about confidence and maybe that got me thinking more about it.  It was a great strong sermon, much needed by my spirit.  You "faithful" blog readers might recall in my writing in the past that I've been believing the Lord for something for the past five years.  Many times along the way my faith would falter because of "roadblocks" but a couple of weeks ago, that faith became sight.  My heart rejoiced.

Another experience of faith is one that I've prayed for the Lord's will to be evident for quite a while now.  I'm hearing reasons for praise in that situation, too.   My heart rejoices.

It's in those times of fear and such when we are praying and longing for such results to come swifter that we falter.  It's easy to smile when you have no cavities but harder when you have to have that root canal.  (Not that I know root canals and hope to never know them but I have friends who know root canals.)  Life and the things it can throw one can be hard.  Really hard.  I've said, though, that you can always find someone having a harder time than you.  And I believe that.

A few weeks ago, I bought several packs of zinnia and wildflower seeds.  My intent was for The Grandbaby and me to plant these in the one spot near the road that The Husband/The Poppa would not mow.  Yes, he's a mower-downer of everything in the yard.  He can't help it, I accept it, and we happily move on.  So we went up to the little spot on the edge of the woods by the road and dug a little (my digging skills suffer), The Grandbaby put the seeds in (not one at a time but piled), we covered a slight bit, and I thought, "Hmm.  I really hope these grow, at least a little."  Being as my flower spot near the road is a LONG way from my house, watering this area was hard.  I finally loaded up a big trash can, 2 gallon jugs, a watering can, and a plastic ice cream container in my wagon, pulled them to the water hose in the grass, filled them up with water, and pulled with much effort the heavy wagon up to the road.  It was really hard.   You may wonder what the ice cream pail was for, being so small.  It was perfect for scooping the water from the heavy unliftable trash can to get the water to put in the sprinkler can to water the flowers.  It was a process, kind of like faith.   I would do this about three times a week if it didn't rain--watering ground that showed no signs of anything growing.  Finally, I began to see little snippets of green coming through that dirt. My excitement was HUGE.   Today, people driving by my house can see zinnias growing up by the road.  Pink, yellow, red, orange, white, purple.....small, but beautiful zinnias. Plus, there's a few wildflowers growing as well.   The rains of the week have been great and lessened my load of watering and I have again rejoiced about that.  This little makeshift flower garden is giving us great joy.  I will take some pictures and post to another post later on.  Maybe I will call it my FAITH flower garden.

With that in mind, let us not forget what the scriptures say by that smart Apostle Paul:

"I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.  So then neither is he that planted any thing, neither he that watereth, but God that giveth the increase."  1 Corinthians 3:6,7

So for whatever reason this post is for today, hang on to the faith.  The day will come when your faith will become sight.  I don't know when, I don't know how, but I do know the one in whom I can trust by faith.  And isn't that who it's all about?

The wise apostle Paul said it well:

"For we walk by faith, not by sight."    2 Corinthians 5:7

Consider.....