Living by Faith

Years ago  I thought that the lessons of the Christian life were something that were learned in order and checked off the list!  As the years went on and you learned more about God, you matured as a Christian by checking more and more lessons off your list. 

But as the years have gone on, I've learned that I've haven't even scratched the surface of "Living the Christian life", or mastering the lessons that God teaches us!  One of the most basic lessons is that of Living By Faith.  It's so basic in its teaching, and yet so difficult to live in our ever-changing circumstances!

I thought surely I learned how to live by faith as a new bride when Chad was a full-time college student!  Our income was almost non-existent, and yet God met our needs.

A few years later Chad began working as Assitant Pastor and our income dropped to $200 a week.  We had 3 kids and I wasn't working!  Chad and I look back on those years and we can't figure out how we ate, except that there is a God in heaven who provided daily meals for our family!  Yes, I thought certainly during those years I learned about living by faith and depending on the Lord to provide for our needs.  I had seen the Lord do so many miraculous things in our lives during that time.  He hadfaithfully met every need.

But now we've stepped into a new arena!  An arena which has taught me that I know NOTHING about living by faith!  Sure in times past we lived on a small income, but there was income.  We could count on recieving it.  Maybe it wasn't much, but we knew it would be there for us every Sunday night!  And besides that, we were part of the most loving church in America.  If anyone found out we had a need, someone would run to help meet that need.  So were we really depending on God during those years?  We were surrounded by family and friends; we had many PEOPLE we could lean on. 


Then last year we started deputation and said good-bye to our loving church and family, good-bye to our dependable salary, good-bye to STABILITY and SECURITY.  This can be a scary place to be.  Scary but marvelous!  Scary because there is no one to turn to for help and marvelous because it gives God the opportunity to really show himself.  There is no greater help, no greater provider than God. 

"Some trust in chariots, some in horses' but we will remember the name of the Lord our God"

Psalm 20:7

It is easy to trust in things that we can see and touch.   Not so easy to just completely trust the Lord, but HE is trustworthy, and faithful.  Just when I think I've finally trusted the Lord with my "problem", I find myelf worrying about it again the next day.  I have to keep reminding myself that God is in control, that God has promised to take care of us.  When I find my faith faltering, I go to my Bible and search for His promises.

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things (food& clothes) shall be added unto you."  Matt. 6:33

"But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus" Phil. 4:19

This morning was one of those mornings when I woke up worrying about our finances, and feeling overwhelmed about some financial obligations we have.  That in turn gave way to worrying about whether or not we would EVER get enough support to go to the field...  Funny how if you give way to worrying about one thing, you can really start worrying about a myriad of things!  Satan always magnifies things before our eyes and changes our perspective.  By magnifying our circumstances he can really steal our peace and get us in a frenzy.  I'm thankful for the Word of God and how it helps us get our firm footing again.

This morning I read, "...go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; an when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money; ..." Matthew 17:27

When I read that, I remembered that my God owns the cattle on a thousand hills, and He CAN provide. God's resources are not limited, and He is not limited by circumstances. He doesn't need special circumstances to fall into place in order to provide.  He creates the circumstances! Many times God does provide in unique and unexpected ways; not the way we plan or think He should. 

So this morning, comforted by God's Word, I began to sing Living By Faith:

I care not today what the morrow may bring,

If shadow or sunshine or rain,
The Lord I know ruleth o’er everything,
And all of my worries are vain.

• Refrain:
  Living by faith in Jesus above,
  Trusting, confiding in His great love;
  From all harm safe in His sheltering arm,
  I’m living by faith and feel no alarm.