What can you expect? Straight talk, laughable humor, real truth, simple living, and passionate yearning...
all regarding the God that still involves Himself in the details of the lives of His people
A calling to write what He leads, no matter how uncomfortable...
Because simple daily Christian living is never what we thought it would be
Faith: One Person, One God, One Intimate Choice
Forever I have wondered why Christ did some of things He did, said some of the things He said, and behaved so strangely at times. Truly, I have felt that I am being disrespectful to the Lord for even briefly thinking such things. Then that whole “I don’t see things the way you do, don’t hear things the way you hear them…My ways are not your ways…because I am God” thing plays out in my mind and I am made to recall that it is me who has the misperceptions. Yet, here I am some forty years into my Christian walk and I still am confounded when reading about Christ’s miracles and His asking people to stay silent. Why is it that Jesus told those whom He healed to not go and tell others?
I have always been very curious. In my early years when I heard that Solomon had prayed for, and had been granted wisdom, I decided that that would be an excellent way to get some answers to my many curiosities. Yes, I know, I had the whole “wisdom not for selfishness” thing backwards, but still…such a pursuit seemed reasonable and has always been a favorite track of mine. Currently, I still pray for knowledge. But, now I have lived long enough to know that I don’t know very much, don’t want to know a lot about what I see going on out there, and that everyone needs to pray for wisdom because it is the only thing that gives eyes of understanding to knowledge. The point is…that God has granted me some knowledge, some wisdom, and some understanding. Probably, not any more of the three than He has granted you, but obviously enough to keep my curiosities at bay.
Today, knowledge gave way to understanding and I now see the wisdom behind the secretiveness of His miracles of healing and the strangeness regarding His instructions. These simple revelations are the things that add one more piece to a complex puzzle and help verify what I thought…what my soul knew all along. You see, I know the God I serve is not a God of confusion. So when the things He does and the things He says and the things He commands and instructs seem confusing to me…well it puts a little wrinkle in my thinking and sometimes I have to sort through my beliefs again. I tell myself that it is probably the fault of the guy who saw and reported the thing. Or, it could have been the fault of the guy who read and translated the thing. Still, breaking through to a point of understanding is soul-depth contentment.
Faith is personal. That is my big revelation. Faith is an intimate discovery. You can be introduced to the concept by friends, acquaintances, or even enemies. You can question every preacher, teacher, evangelist, and grandma. You can hear about the faith of others. You can feed your spiritual strength on the nutrients of the testimonies of fellow believers. But, faith…must be personal. Faith is between one person, one God, and one very intimate discovery about the reality of that combination. And other than forcing it upon us, He will do whatever it takes to bring about that precious moment.
So don’t be confused when He tells everyone to be quiet and keep to themselves about what He has done. And, don’t lose ground, when He does one thing for one individual and something completely different for another. Don’t hesitate to think that what appears bad is really good, and that you and I just cannot comprehend the magnitude of what He is doing for eternity’s sake. If He asks you to speak, then speak. If He asks you to tell, then tell. If He asks you to confess in public, then run to the microphone. And, if He asks you to be silent and keep things private, or to just sit on them for a while, then follow that request to the letter. He is God, and His ways are not yours.
Each of us needs to experience God individually. When that experience leads to an overwhelming belief in His absolute power and authority…and the individual’s complete and ultimate surrender…then that is faith. And it is intimate! No wonder He sometimes did and sometimes didn’t. No wonder He said, “Don’t tell them”. He wants us all to have a one-of-a-kind, up-front and personal experience with Him. Only He knows the perfect timing and events…the perfect opportunity for us to start the perfect relationship with Him. And the Lord I serve would never want anyone to miss out…even if it is confusing to the rest of us to be silent.
In obedience
Rhonda D Loucks
Faith is personal. That is my big revelation. Faith is an intimate discovery. You can be introduced to the concept by friends, acquaintances, or even enemies. You can question every preacher, teacher, evangelist, and grandma. You can hear about the faith of others. You can feed your spiritual strength on the nutrients of the testimonies of fellow believers. But, faith…must be personal. Faith is between one person, one God, and one very intimate discovery about the reality of that combination. And other than forcing it upon us, He will do whatever it takes to bring about that precious moment.