Hebrews
11:1, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence
of things not seen,” KJV. The New Living Translation states it
thus, “Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually
happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.” We must
follow in faith the revelation of Jesus Christ as revealed in God’s
Word.
The
shepherds of Luke 2 were so driven by their experience of the
revelation that they were compelled by their faith to seek out the
truth of the angels' proclamation. Luke 2:15, “And it came to pass,
as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds
said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this
thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.”
The
wise men of Matthew 2 followed the star by faith to find the Savior.
Their understanding of scriptures and desire to experience the
promise compelled them to seek out the truth of the prophecy. Matt.
2:10, “When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great
joy. 11And when they were come into the house, they saw the young
child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and
when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts;
gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.”
Faith
is essential to our discovery of the promised Messiah! The fact of
our need and desire for faith was impressed upon me recently while
listening to traditional Christmas music. One phrase really stood out
to me and it is for that reason that I want to share my thoughts. The
song was “Have yourself a merry little Christmas” and I have
included it here.
“Some
day soon we will all be together
If
the fates allow.
Until
then we'll have to muddle through somehow,
And
have yourself a merry little Christmas now.”
The
line that really impressed me was, “if the fates allow,” with
particular emphasis on the word “fate.” The Merriam-Webster
Dictionary defines “fate” as a state or end that seemingly has
been decided beforehand. Synonyms include circumstance, destiny,
fortune, kismet, lot, portion. Faith is essential to our discovery of
the promise of the Messiah and our salvation! Our search for this
revelation must be driven by faith in God’s promise. Our search
must be deliberate and in no way influenced by the secular idea of
“fate.”
What
is the difference in our lives being directed by faith or fate?
People who allow fate to be their compass in life will go with the
flow. Their lives are driven by the events that surround them much
like rivers and streams rise and fall with the ebb and flow of the
seasons. In the summer months, when there is less rainfall, these
bodies of water remain restricted within their banks and appear to
move effortlessly because water will choose the path of least
resistance. In the winter and spring when there is typically more
rainfall, the rivers and streams can escape their banks but still
seek the path of least resistance. They escape their banks because of
the sheer volume of water. The ebb and flow of the rivers and streams
is determined by the events in weather and will respond accordingly
always moving downstream with gravity.
Followers
of fate live a reactionary life, simply responding to the events and
conditions in their lives as they occur. We all react to the
circumstances around us but circumstances cannot be our compass in
life. As followers of Jesus Christ, faith is the driving force in our
lives. We cannot seek the path of least resistance and most of the
time we are called upon to move against the current. God's Word
requires that we fight against the onslaught of public opinion and
stand for Truth. As Believer's in Jesus Christ, we must call
attention to the moral depravity that is running rampant in this
world. With faith as our compass, we can move ahead with purpose,
God's purpose. We will not be deterred by the negative events and
conditions around us. Because our faith is in the finished work of
Jesus Christ, we can see beyond our immediate future to our promised
end. Follow His Revelation In Faith! (continued)
