My Heart Aches

I’m caught in between two worlds tonight. At supper this evening, I read a booklet called Quantum Faith. Don’t worry. It’s only 20 pages long. I didn’t want to pull an intellectual muscle or anything.

The premise of the book goes something like this, “You are the one giving substance to your world through words!” It seems to be all about getting God to do the miraculous things that you want Him to do. Through faith and the power of your words, you can do everything from keeping your car running perfectly to preventing your computer from crashing.

In the other part of my world, my friend from public school spends his days and nights watching as his son struggles for life itself. Unless God extends His strong right hand, it doesn’t look good.

I know I should be a little more diplomatic when I make reference to the literary efforts of a fellow believer. It sounds to me, little more than a Christian version of witchcraft. Get your words right, get the faith formula down and God is obligated to act in the way that you dictate.

I hurt for my friend. If Quantum Faith is right, then my prayers must be little better than that of the heathen, because the young man hasn’t been healed.

The way that I understand scripture, the promise of the Gospel isn’t that our luck will get better. The assurance is that we have been made right with The Father through Christ The Son. For many, the road is tough.

God does act amazingly on behalf of many who seek His face. The unfortunate reality, is that it’s not always the case.

Hebrews 11:36-40 (New Living Translation)
36 Some were jeered at, and their backs were cut open with whips. Others were chained in prisons. 37 Some died by stoning, some were sawed in half, and others were killed with the sword. Some went about wearing skins of sheep and goats, destitute and oppressed and mistreated. 38 They were too good for this world, wandering over deserts and mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground.
39 All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised. 40 For God had something better in mind for us, so that they would not reach perfection without us.

Keep this in mind. “None of them received all that God had promised” vs 39. If these people of faith did not receive all that God had promised, what are the odds that you and I receive all that He promises here in this present life?

Having a reliable vehicle, well behaved children and a stable computer isn’t the end result of our faith. Even nonbelievers desire after these things. My friend, if you are reading this, I hope you are encouraged. Faith in Christ is in itself the victory. If you are able to maintain your testimony for Jesus in this trial, I can think of few things nearly so miraculous.