Recently, some friends and I were talking about faith. As we went our separate ways questions began to swim in my mind, tempting me to think that all that happens to me, my family, and my friends is dependent upon my level of faith. What if I fail all my loved ones by not having enough faith? If only I had more faith then I bet something better would have happened! If only I had more faith then I'm sure this would never have happened! Ahhhhh!!!! My mind was racing around a hamster wheel of "if only's".
When the clamoring of my mind finally subsided, I remembered the true story of three men who were devoted followers of the One true God. When the king of Babylon ordered all of his people to fall down and worship an image of gold, instead of God, they refused. The king, being furious with their disobedience, ordered to have them thrown into a blazing furnace, heated seven times hotter than the usual. Knowing what lay before them, the men did not deny their beliefs but stood by them, despite the threats.
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, the names of the three men, came out of the inferno without even a hair on their heads being singed. But what if they died in the fiery furnace? Would it be that their faith was not strong enough? Did they live through the fire because they had so much faith? Standing at the door of the furnace, with the blazing heat tormenting them, they told the king, "If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and He will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if He does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up." Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego did not know if they would get out of the furnace alive, but they refused put their faith in their circumstance. They put their faith in God, the One who posses the power, willing to serve Him, no matter what the cost.
These thoughts trail me back to something Jesus said about faith. In the Bible Jesus says "...if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain 'Move from here to there' and it will move." I was told that a mustard seed is one of the smallest agricultural seeds. Perhaps what Jesus is saying is: It's not the amount of faith I have, it's Who I put my faith in.
Faith is a tough topic to write about. I just covered one aspect of faith but there are many more avenues we could discuss. Maybe in the months to come God will have me share more about faith, but for today I want to encourage you to remember, faith is not the power agent. Faith brings us into the presence of the Almighty who is the All Powerful.
Thank You, LORD!
**If you would like to read the whole story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego you can find it in the Old Testament of the Bible in the Book of Daniel Chapter 3.
**Jesus talks about faith the size of a mustard seed in the New Testament of the Bible in the Book of Matthew Chapter 17.
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