Who do you believe?

One incident, two reports, very different in the details. Who do you believe? In those ‘he said, she said’ situations; we look at the past credibility of the reporter, we ask about motives, we consider who has what to gain, and we try to make a judgment. Still, we are sometimes left with the nagging feeling that we could have missed the truth, in spite of our best efforts to discern it. Getting it right is important, because we act on what we believe is true.

Disciple, this is true in your spiritual life, too. What you believe to be true is revealed in your day to day actions.

If you believe that "This is the day the Lord has made;” then it will not be too difficult to “rejoice and be glad in it." (Psalm 118:24, NIV) If you believe that this day happened randomly to you, that you are at the mercy of chance and circumstance, then you will live fearfully, perhaps even with deep anger over the things that are coming your way.

If you believe that Jesus Christ will return to bring humanity’s story to God’s conclusion, fitting your bit role into the grand play of history as He writes it, you will live with great hope and purpose. If you believe you are a speck of carbon, lost in a swirling universe that emerged by chance of chaos, you will fight desperately to find some kind of meaning in the moment. Love will become secondary to survival. Happiness, found in experience and expedience will become your primary goal, and rightly so, based on your belief!

I choose to live in faith, not blindly, but because it makes sense to me to do so. God’s credibility is strong! I look at the sweep of the history of His people, told in the Scripture, and say, “Yes, He is faithful!” I add to that the short history of my own family, stretching back to my grandparents whose lives were radically changed by the Gospel and the Spirit, and it confirms my trust. His motives are pure, born of love alone. He does not seek my destruction. He gave His Son to bring me life, offers me Heaven at His own expense. He is completely Self-sufficient, yet despite having nothing to gain, loves me. So, yes, I believe His report!

"The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It’s our handle on what we can’t see." (Hebrews 11:1, The Message) "It’s impossible to please God apart from faith. And why? Because anyone who wants to approach God must believe both that he exists and that he cares enough to respond to those who seek him." (Hebrews 11:6, The Message)

Honestly, faith is not always easy, nor is the way always clear. There are days when the immediate circumstances of life argue against the power, plan, and presence of God. Last week, when I stood at the side of two friends my own age who are fighting cancer, a voice in my head fought against my faith, screaming about the unfairness of it all, telling me I was a fool to believe that God cared for me! When temptation rises strong, offering short gain, and heaven seems far, far away, that voice comes again, making the appeal to serve myself. But, by God’s grace, I choose to live in faith!

Here’s a word from the Word. Make it your declaration today:
"I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day." (2 Timothy 1:12, NIV)

___________________

I've believed the true report,
Hallelujah to the Lamb!
I have passed the outer court,
O glory be to God!
I am all on Jesus' side,
On the altar sanctified,
To the world and sin I've died,
Hallelujah to the Lamb!

Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
I have passed the riven veil,
Here the glories never fail,
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
I am living in the presence of the King.

I'm a king and priest to God,
Hallelujah to the Lamb!
By the cleansing of the blood,
O glory be to God!
By the Spirit's pow'r and light,
I am living day and night,
In the holiest place so bright,
Hallelujah to the Lamb!

Charles Price Jones
Public Domain