“So, you see, it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to Him must believe that there is a God and that He rewards those who sincerely seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6)
Some people believe, while others have faith.
There are all kinds of new slogans encouraging us to “keep the faith,” while others say “just believe.” But belief in itself is empty because there’s no movement. Like little children putting their faith in Santa Claus or the tooth fairy, we can believe with all of our heart that something good will happen---and still do nothing. Faith, however, is based on a relationship and every relationship generates a response.
Several years ago, a farming community found itself in the midst of a drought. The once hearty soil had become as hard as rock in the unrelenting sun. The parched crops lay wilted, and the anxious farmers worried about the empty bellies in the fall. Finally, the pastor of the community scheduled an hour of prayer in the town square at noon on a Saturday. He encouraged the townspeople to bring objects representing their faith as inspiration.
On Saturday, the town square was brimming with people with worried faces and skeptical hearts. The weatherman had predicted no change in the weather patterns for the coming weeks. Their faces told the story as they clutched their "objects of faith"---Bibles, crosses, and other various items.
After the hour of prayer had ended and, as if on command, clouds began to appear. A few whispy ones at first then great huge billowing clouds and then a gentle rain began to fall. The townspeople cheered and held up their treasured objects in praise and thankfulness to God who heard them. In the middle of the joyous crowd, one object of faith stood out from the others. A nine-year-old child had brought an umbrella.
Faith generates a Response. Faith is action oriented. Belief is mental agreement.
Are you a believing Christian or a faithful Christian?
The only One who is infinitely worthy of our wholehearted trust is our faithful God. When we actively place our faith in Him, the results are supernatural. When you have a relationship with God, do you "bring your umbrella," so to speak? Are you preparing for rain? Email Subscription:
I have a very large umbrella — truth be told, in the back of my SUV named Destiny.
My SUV named Destiny is a gift — truth be told, a gift from God — a gift that truly and literally, arrived in my driveway when I knew — because of my faith, I knew — that “God would provide,” when I had asked God to provide, when I needed God so much to provide, when I trusted God that He would provide…Destiny, for me and so named because of it, illustrates one of the many, many times in my life where, as is written above, “When we actively place our faith in [God], the results are supernatural.”
I have a very large umbrella — truth be told, in the back of my SUV named Destiny.
My umbrella is named “My God Umbrella.”
All by itself it was standing in among non-descript but very professional-looking black, brown, and gray umbrellas on the day that I bought it. My eye was immediately drawn to this particular multi-colored — colors of the rainbow — umbrella. No sooner was it in my hand and long before my need for “picking up a few groceries” would allow me to purchase it, I knew, from that point on, it would be called My God Umbrella.
Truth be told, as I was going up and down the aisles “picking up more than a few groceries,” I wanted to say to those in the same aisle also “picking up a few groceries,” “Look, look!!!!!!! This is My God Umbrella.”
I didn’t then; I do now.
Why is my umbrella called My God Umbrella?
It’s protective in its hugeness. It’s a promise in keeping me safe in the storms. And it’s a reminder of God’s covenant with the earth and, above all, that He can be trusted in and because of its colors — its rainbow colors.
Is it any wonder that my umbrella is called My God Umbrella?
And is it any wonder that as often and whenever I get a chance, I tell others about My God Umbrella and that I share it with them, literally and figuratively?
Yes, “Faith generates a response. Faith is action-oriented.”
Yes, “When you have a relationship with God, you ‘bring your umbrella,’ so to speak?”
Why would you not?
Why would you want to keep the awesome, protective, loving, and covenantal God, Whom you know and trust, hidden from others?
Why would you not want to offer others the opportunity to begin, grow, reinvigorate, and/or remember their faith?
Why would you not want to bring God “all glory, laud, and honor” every chance you get because “[He is the] only One Who is infinitely worthy of our wholehearted trust.”
I have a very large umbrella in the back of my SUV.
Truth be told, my umbrella is called My God Umbrella and my SUV is named Destiny.
And because I should, because I want to, and because God asks me to, my faith and I love to “tell the story,” associated with both and each, “of [God] and His love.”
Don’t you think it not only pleases God for us to have faith but for us to also share that faith?
Truth be told, don’t you think it pleases God when His Truth is told?
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