Growing An Enormous Faith in An Even Bigger God

Faith and sight are set in opposition to each other in Scripture, but not faith and reason…. True faith is essentially reasonable because it trusts in the character and the promises of God. A believing Christian is one whose mind reflects and rests on these certitudes.

~John R. W. Stott (1921- )

And He said, “Behold, I am making a covenant. Before all your people I will do marvels, such as have not been created in all the earth or in any nation. And all the people among whom you are shall see the work of the LORD, for it is an awesome thing that I will do with you.

~Exodus 34:10

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks. By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He is and that He rewards those who seek Him.

~ Hebrews 11:1-6

There is beloved, a frontier before us that has no end. Faith. The G_d in whom we believe simply has no limits. And any idea we come up with to imagine the limitlessness of who He is – and what He can and will do – is utterly laughable. For the infinite always trumps the finite.

Always.

And yet, since this One who knows no limits (yet understands ours fully) is there to help us grow into people like Himself, He will put tests before us to help us begin to see His enormous heart towards us.

Recall the deepest part of the pit you were in. Look back on how alone you were. Remember the taste of the bitter, acidic, and anxious state of your soul before you allowed Him to have you. You (me) were doomed. Utterly, completely, totally, absolutely – doomed. We faced a death worse than we could possibly imagine. We faced an eternity entombed within the four dimension of space and time. The clock ticking while we burned with the realization that we rejected the only Real Love in the universe. And that this great Love, had loved us enough to let us have our own way.

But G_d.

Now.

Imagine the most amazing thing you might even hope He might do for you.

Ponder the uttermost ways He might use you to bring Himself glory.

Remember the most exquisite joy you have ever experienced, and project this to the greatest heights you can touch at the edge of your spirit’s senses.

Comprehend (if this were possible) an eternity of eternities rolling out before you as He only begins to show you the depth of the center of His amazing heart towards us all.

Begin to imagine knowing the very mind and heart and Person of G_d. For now, this same Heart will be yours – and yours His – forever.

Got it? Getting a glimpse?

It’s not even close.

Oh beloved as we read His Word – the place whereupon hearing it, faith does come – we begin to see that G_d has plans for us that simply go beyond any concept which can be imagined. They are beyond imagine. They are beyond language.

Enter faith.

At its uttermost, faith is this deep knowledge, beyond reason or comprehension, of the Life G_d has already brought us into. We cannot see it in our minds. And even our soul, with its profound ability to comprehend intellectual and life truth, cannot grasp the infinite. Only spirit can do this. And it is in this place of spiritual interface with the very Person of G_d that we begin to see that all this amazing stuff about heaven and hell and Him and Love and victory and the Kingdom is absolutely real.

We can taste it.

We can see it.

We can hear the wind of His Spirit whipping the flag of Zion upon the great standard that will stand in that Kingdom’s capital.

And so, this is why faith is so pleasing to G_d. For, as we begin to know Him through the engagement of faith, we are going through a betrothal period wherein the genuine and beautiful anticipation of an astoundingly powerful consummation grows and grows and grows.

Can we see it? G_d is pleased with our faith because, through it, we are beginning to experience the Love and Joy and Righteousness and Peace we already supposed to have in Him. And as a good husband would always want good for his bride in all things, our Groom is delighted when we feel the pleasure He is working to impart in us.

So, as He graciously gives us tests to increase our faith, we come to understand that the maturity He is guiding us into, is not to become tougher and stronger and able to weather more problems. No, the tests are designed to engrave within us the conviction that He is good. And as we become convinced, we begin to experience the reality of the eternal Life we have already entered: We are His friends. We are His Lovers. We are His bride. And the G_d who is Himself Love – and who does not change – is working to bring everything good within His power to directly to us.

This is very good news.

And it only gets better.

Oh my!

Spirit-filled souls are ablaze for God. They love with a love that glows. They believe with a faith that kindles. They serve with a devotion that consumes. They hate sin with a fierceness that burns. They rejoice with a joy that radiates. Love is perfected in the fire of God.

~Samuel Chadwick (1832-1917)

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