Faith in Action

A friend of mine showed me this passage I had forgotten despite the nice highlighter markings in my Bible. We were talking about what it meant to put our salvation into words. She didn’t like the analogy that trusting God is like trusting in a chair to hold you up. It doesn’t have anything to do with us, whether we believe the chair works or not. God’s mercy has nothing to do with us. Whether we trust Him or not, He sacrificed His life to be an offering for the mess we would make trying to save ourselves, living in a world we can’t fix, can’t conquer.

2 Peter 1:3-8 gives counsel:

  His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.  Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

  For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.  For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

For amazing faith in action, I’d encourage you to read one particular story at the following blog: “Bring the Rain” at http://audreycaroline.blogspot.com/.

Lord, I pray for healing and for help as we learn how to lean on you. Help us show your love by what little faith we have. Take it and add what you will that we may see goodness, cherish knowledge, pride self-control, persevere for godliness, seeking brotherly kindness - every day of our lives. Amen 

About James

Our class is covering the book of James in the Bible and I’m being asked if it’s more challenging to deal with a problem I’ve gotten myself into, or to deal with something that’s beyond my control. Is it easier to deal with a relationship I’ve botched or a job I’ve been fired from? Hmm…I don’t really think any problem is easy to handle unless I have money that’ll fix the problem or fly me out of there =) So…life’s tough. I’m starting to hear a lot of that. BUT the one who’s persevered through it all receives a crown of life (James 1:12). My first reaction is, what good is a crown of life? If I endure something, I’d like a huge payback. It seems the promise here is in the afterlife. You’ll be given a greater reward in heaven. Again, another hard concept. I can’t really appreciate what I don’t have – especially when it’s a promise after I’m gone. The passage sounds hopeful, but all I can think of is Dory in Little Nemo: “Just keep swimming.” I’m trying to hold on to something more than a cartoon character to help me figure out how to buckle down and roll with the punches.