Christian Comment

WE ALL have faith. Every day we put our faith in something (or someone). It is not possible to live a single day without exercising faith.

For example when you got up this morning you probably went to the bathroom, pulled the light switch and you had faith that it would work.

Then perhaps you got into your car, turned the key in the ignition and had faith that it would start and get you to your destination.

When you put a letter into a big red metal box on the corner of the street you have faith that it will arrive at its postal address. When you go to the chemist you have faith that the pharmacist will give you the right prescription.

These are all things that we often don’t give a second thought to.

Faith is also expressed in the spiritual realm. Each of us regardless of our background, education, social status or talents can express faith.

The difference between the faith we exercise in our daily routine and our religious faith is the object of that faith.

Your faith is only as good as the place that you put it. The Bible insists that we put our faith and trust in Jesus Christ. Acts 4:12 says: “There is no salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

To understand what faith is we must get past certain misconceptions about faith: First, that faith is the ability to manipulate God. This is the approach of the ‘health and wealth’ prosperity gospel. This approach only sees faith as having one aim – a life of ease and blessing.

Second, that faith is simply an adherence to a set of rules or beliefs.

If your principles are misguided, it does not matter what you believe.

Third, that faith is a blind leap into the dark. To many unbelievers faith is the anti-thesis of science. I always find it strange that those who proclaim that there is no God, often work so hard to prove their point. If, as some suggest, there is no God, why work so hard to prove that God doesn’t exist?

The faith of the Christian compels one to believe in a God invisible to the human eye but visible through the written word – The Bible. The faith of the Christian also convicts one through a sense of knowing that unlike other religions it charts the story of death of the one who is followed, coming back to life – and still living. At a time of economic, political and social uncertainty there can be comfort that comes from knowing that there is something that has never and will never change.

At this time of year it is likely that there are many who are disillusioned as they have put their faith in something or someone that has failed them.

There aren’t many guarantees in life. One thing that has been proven time and time again is that those who put their faith in God are unlikely to be let down.

Finding faith starts with a prayer (or a talk) with God recognising his awesome power and asking Him to take a place in your life that was previously reserved for faith in other things.

You then have to believe that your prayer has been heard and begin to live in that belief.

True faith is confident obedience to God’s word in spite of circumstances or consequences.

For more about faith please read Hebrews chapter 11.