Faith in Action

Don't you just love it when you wake up way too early and can't shut off your brain?  Yeah, me too.  Needless to say, that happened to me today.  Turns out, when God REALLY wants my attention, my undivided attention, it's early.  Sometimes it's one or two am, but He lets me go back to sleep.  Today it was 6 o'clock in the morning and there was no going back to bed.  But at least it was near time to get up.  Anyways, He woke me up with a challenge.  (Let me clarify, unlike others, I do not audibly hear God.  I get impressions and ideas in my mind that I know don't originate from me because they are not usually the easy thing to do.)

God challenged me to put my money where my mouth is.  I have long professed faith in the Almighty.  And I do believe.  But giving feet to my faith has never felt like it cost me much.  This morning, it did.  And it was hard.  It was a lot harder than I expected it to be.  But it reminded me of a story...Moses.

Moses was a reluctant mouth piece for God.  He saw the burning bush.  He saw miracle after miracle in the exposition before Pharoah.  The Red Sea was parted by God.  When they were thirsty, God said to strike a rock.  Moses obeyed and water sprang forth.  But the next time, God said speak to the rock.  How, after all that Moses had seen and experienced, did he not trust God to continue to be faithful?  Moses didn't speak, he struck. God still gave them water.  But, much like modern day parents and children, there was a consequence to Moses' action.  The only thing God asked was for Moses' trust, his faith.  God had already proven Himself trustworthy and faithful repeatedly.  He gave His children good things.  Yet trust was still hard.  And it cost Moses dearly.  It cost him a dream and a promise.

I'm glad this story is in the Bible.  I'm glad most of them are.  Most so-called "heroes of faith" are a bunch of screw-ups like us.  But God is always faithful.  Always.  Take it to the bank, He never fails.  I don't want to be a hero of faith.  I don't want that many bad things occurring in my life as seem to be required for heroes of faith, be they of ancient or modern eras!  I want my simple, comfortable, ordinary life.  But it is through extraordinary circumstances that God gets to reveal Himself.

And so, I thought of Moses.  I cried.  I prayed.  Then I decided that my faith was indeed in God.  My faith was not in myself, in money, in modern technology or conveniences.  I would trust God in what I believed He was calling me to do.  I would walk the talk that I tell my son and my husband I believe.  I would do what would be difficult.  I would be honest.  I would face the uncertainty and risk my hopes and dreams in this.

And what do you know?  God was faithful.  He asked me to trust Him in something I could not see how a provision could be made.  He made it.  I trusted Him and He showed me His faithfulness.  I know one thing for certain, no matter what happens with my dream, I will never wonder if my faithless heart or lack of trust was a block I placed in God's way.  I will know He provides in ways I can't predict.  He definitely proved Himself to me today.  I hope I never forget this lesson, this moment of faith.  As for my dream? Maybe God would still have fulfilled my dream without my obedience.  Maybe, in the long run, this choice won't matter.  Maybe it won't change the outcome of my dreams.  Maybe God won't fulfill this dream, even with my trust. 

But maybe He will.