Quiet time on the beach pondering these thoughts

“I believe; help my unbelief!:
Mark 9:24

I identify with the desperate cry of the father of the child with an unclean spirit.
And, I’ve been thinking …

Too often I allow myself to not live as a woman of faith.
I allow my reality, my humanity, my reason to give my faith an out.

After all, God declares, “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways … ” Isaiah 55:9. And I don’t know God’s ways. Another faith cop-out.

God knows my humanity. Indeed he “knitted me together in my mother’s womb”. Psalm 139:13. And, I believe, he knitted me together knowing what my realities were going to be. God trusted me, his beloved child with his will, his plans, his wisdom.

God trusted me with a lot. He offers many opportunities to mature in my faith.

Not the same lot he trusted Abraham with asking him to believe that his 90 year old wife would bear him a son to fulfill the promise God had given him years before. “And behold, the word of the LORD came to him: ‘This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir.” Genesis 15:4. Or asking him to sacrifice that promised son on Mount Moriah. “After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, ‘Abraham … Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering …” Genesis 22:1, 2. Really God? What about that promise?  Yet, I never heard Abraham whisper those words.

“No distrust made him (Abraham) waver
concerning the promise of God, (Genesis 15)
but
he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God,
fully convinced
that God was able to do what he had promised.”
Romans 4:20, 21 (italics and parentheses mine).

But I will not compare my lot with Abraham’s.

But I will seek to practice Abraham’s way of maturing in his faith.

Abraham grew strong as he gave glory to God!!

My ponderings are challenging me to …

1. Not lean on my own understanding of my realities.
2. Not try to figure out how God will fulfill the promises he’s given me.
3. Be where I am, and allow God to grow my faith; to help me be fully convinced.
4. I will pray over his promises regularly.
5. I will practice praise, give glory to God, for his ability to fulfill his word.

My friend Trisha shared this with me. It seems appropriate for this post. Thank you Trisha.

Copyright: Sue Tell, February 20233