May 31, 2008

The coat of faith

What is more likely to cause a Christian

to forget God and/or abandon Him?

Have you ever been told by someone

that is it is easy for you

to believe and trust in the Lord

because you haven't experienced their woes...

their trials and their tribulations?

The idea being that it is easy to have faith

when everything is going so well for you.

I submit that it is far easier,

and more subtle, for man

to leave God's presence,

ignore, and even forget Him

when he grows to feel less "needing"

and more self-sufficient.

The Bible is filled with such stories.

In the Aesop fable about the dispute

of who was more powerful...

the North Wind or the Sun...

it was the North Wind that brought to bear

all of his stormy weather

against the man

in an attempt to remove his coat.

All that the North Wind did

was to cause the man to wrap his coat

more tightly around himself.

If we let the man's coat be a symbol

(and represent) his faith,

the same can be said

for the effect of the storms of life on us.

Those trials and tribulations,

while causing some to curse

and/or to question God,

most often cause us

to more tightly cling to our faith

even as we are brought to our knees.

In the same Aesop fable,

it was the sun that proved more powerful.

Bestowing sunshine and warmth

upon the man caused him to

"voluntarily" remove his coat.

We must always be very careful of allowing

our highly blessed and worldly successful selfs

from becoming too self reliant

and thus less needful of God.

We must completely die to self,

be ever mindful of Him,

and allow Him to take

permanent command of our lives,

trusting Him, praising Him,

and thanking Him

for all of His love and His grace.

"For therein is the righteousness of God

revealed from faith to faith:

as it is written,

The just shall live by faith."

- Romans 1:17 KJB

"Therefore being justified by faith,

we have peace with God

through our Lord Jesus Christ:"

- Romans 5:1 KJB