5-3-2014

Good Morning All,

         2 Corinthians 5:7; “for we walk by faith, not by sight”.

     As I watch my grandson grow, I wait anxiously for that day in the not too distant future when he begins that trek that will drive his parents crazy.  If you have raised a child you know what that is; it is so simple yet it is so maddening.  You know the path.  That sweet little cherubic face will look up to you with all sweetness and sincerity and then crush you as they look at you and ask, “Why?”

    At first, it will be fun.   “Why is the light on?”  “Why does the water do that?”  “Why is that green?”  But soon, very soon, the questions become harder and harder.  Then one answer brings on two more questions and soon his parents will be a quivering mound of “I don’t know.”  I will snicker; I went through that three times.

    Yet this shows a very real human characteristic, we are an inquisitive species.  Because of this nature, we tend to rely on our senses to resolve our issues.  The senses send the information to the brain which solves the conflict that the question causes or so we think.  The problem is that sometimes we don’t know all the facts that are involved.  So we ask “why?” and sometimes we don’t get told “why.”

    God reveals to us what we need to know in order to live a life in his gracious kingdom.  He tells us that he loves us.  He shows us that he loves us.  His actions are his love in motion.  God tells us in his Word that he loves us and that he wants us to be with him.  God shows us that he loves us by sending Jesus to take our place.  His action, by the Holy Spirit, enables us to trust in his promise and to live the life that he wants us to have.

    God gives us peace.  God wants you to have peace.  It is this peace that will give us the contentment for our life.  He gives it to us so that we don’t have to ask “why?” because it is all in his hands.  We don’t have to solve the “whys?” we only have to live by faith, trusting in God’s love to provide for us and to keep us safe.  We don’t walk by what we see or feel because that can be misleading and very destructive, rather, we walk by faith trusting in God’s mercy to see us through.

    Many will say, “I have to see it to believe it.”  God tells us to see it with our eyes of faith; to trust in the certainty of the promise.  God’s promise is more certain than the distorted images that can and often do occur in this life.  The Apostle Paul tells us that in this life we see through a misty mirror but in faith; we see clearly God’s love for us in this life and forever.

Almighty and most gracious God, through your great promise we can see our hope and our certainty.  Through our eyes of faith you show us the wonders of your mercy and the benevolence of your grace.  Keep us ever mindful that while our physical eyes may deceive our eyes of faith depend upon you.  Be with those who are not seeing clearly at this time.  Open their eyes of faith that they may see.  In the precious name of Jesus, our risen Savior, amen.

God’s Peace,            

Pastor Bret