FAITH IS THE KEY ELEMENT FOR LIFE
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“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who
come to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly
seek Him.”—Hebrews 11:6
Faith is a must. Faith is the entrance point to a relationship
with God. He interacts with us based on
His grace we respond in faith. Given the
basis of this type of relationship we understand how important faith is to the
believer. In fact, our scripture reading
boldly declares that without faith that it is impossible to please God because
the simple truth remains that we must believe that He is before we can come to
Him.
If faith is the starting point, then it makes sense
that faith is the key element for life. Throughout the gospels, Jesus commented on
people’s faith. In most cases He asked
and wondered where it was saying, “You of
little faith” or “Where is your
faith?” On other occasions He
marveled, as in the example of the centurion soldier (Matthew 8: 5 -13). When the centurion came to Jesus asking for
help for His servant Jesus agreed to come with Him. But in a marvelous display of faith He told
Jesus to just say the word and it would be done; citing his understanding of authority
and appropriating it.
“When
Jesus heard this, He was astonished and said to those following Him, ‘I tell
you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.” The centurions’ faith made Jesus stop
and marvel which is remarkable. “Then Jesus said to the Centurion, ‘Go! It will be done just as you
believed it would.’ And his servant was healed at that very hour.” The healing took place according to the faith of the
solider and in the manner He asked for—Jesus came into agreement with the centurion’s
faith.
If it is impossible to please God without faith,
then the opposite is also true; Faith is what pleases God. Faith
was important to Jesus. He looked
for it and responded to it everywhere He went.
In Matthew 9:20-22, a woman who had been hemorrhaging for
twelve years said to herself, “If I only
touch His garment, I will get well.” When
she reached out and touched the fringe of His garment, she was immediately
healed. Jesus knowing that virtue had
gone out of Him said, “Daughter take
courage; your faith has made you well.”
God responds to faith. Just as parents and caretakers respond to
babies smiling, God responds to our faith.
It pleases Him, it moves Him to act and it is essential in the life of
the believer.
Prayer—Heavenly
Father, I thank You that You respond to faith. And today I take courage because
faith is what pleases You and You have given to me “faith” so that I can please
You, in Jesus Name. Amen.
