Faith Proved And Approved

"Today's Devotion" For January 14, 2006

Read: I Peter 1:3-9; Deuteronomy 8:1-20

FAITH PROVED AND APPROVED

"These (trials) have come so that your faith - of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire - may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed." (I Peter 1:7)

In North Korea, being a Christian means facing imprisonment, torture, and sometimes, death. Being a follower of Jesus Christ in China, unless a part of the state sanctioned "church," means imprisonment (some rumors even exist of torture). In Iran, being a Christian is forbidden and how Christians survive in other parts of the Moslem world is a miracle of God's love. In the last century, we often heard about Christians suffering, imprisonment, torture, and death in communist controlled countries. Even today, in some of those places, being a follower of Jesus Christ and a witness for Him is still not acceptable. Having spoken with people who underwent torture and imprisonment for being Christians I can tell you that their lives were transformed. They could say without any shadow of a doubt that their faith was of "greater worth than gold" - even of greater worth than their own lives.

Put in perspective, the challenges of faith we face in our cultural milieu don't hold a candle to the challenges faced by those who suffered or are suffering for their faith under communism or who are suffering for their faith in Islamic countries. But, having made the comparison, the challenges of faith we ourselves face are no less important to our relationship with God. As God's people, redeemed and restored to Him in Jesus Christ, we face some unique, difficult, and trying situations which challenge our faith and trust in Him. As we read the history of the church, the Body of Christ, it becomes clear that faith grows stronger as it faces hatred, imprisonment, persecution, and death because of Jesus. While such circumstances might not be so evident in our culture, test of our faith don't have to be so dramatic.

Each day we face myriad circumstances which test our faith and challenge our commitment to Jesus. Such tests of our faith and trust in Jesus regularly come at us in our personal lives, including our interactions with family, neighbors, and friends. Our faith is tested as we act and react in trying situations, such as occur frequently on our roadways, in our neighborhoods, and around our cities, counties, states, and the nation. (With some chagrin I confess my own venomous thoughts and angry words shouted at the television screen at the "hypocrisy, inanity, and arrogance" of a senator, known for his excesses, grilling the current U. S. Supreme Court nominee on issues of ethics and ethical behavior.) As God's people we find our life of faith challenged - that is, how truly and faithfully we live according to our faith in Jesus - by our professional relationships and our business activities. Students are faced with challenges to living a faithful life in their interactions with other students, teachers, administrators, teammates, and coaches.

As God's people redeemed in Jesus Christ, we face some unique challenges in our lives. Because of the corruption of God's creation by Sin, life is difficult enough the way it is. Yet, because we are in Christ, we are called to live our lives in a way that reflects God's love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness in all things. Our speech, our actions, and even our thoughts (from which our actions come) all reflect on our faith in Jesus. Our goals and dreams, whether they are personal, family, or professional (and all the permutations within each category) are challenged to be different than those of others who don't have a relationship with Jesus. Because we are in Christ, our goals, dreams, thoughts, words, and deeds are informed by our faith in Jesus. As followers of Jesus, each day we our faith is challenged as we make decisions about how we will speak in any given situation, how we think about others actions, and how we act in every circumstance. Each day our faith leads us to make decisions related to family, play, school, work, and career which often conflict with how the world around us feels, thinks, and acts.

As followers of Jesus Christ, the decisions we make always revolve around our faith in Him. We are reminded by Peter that we are God's children, not because we're so good, or important, or pretty, or handsome, or athletic, orrr..., but because Christ suffered, died, and rose again for us. From Him and in Him we receive every spiritual blessing. In Him and through Him, our loving God and Father in heaven protects us by the power of Spirit from anything and everything that would try to take us away from Him. With confidence in His love and taking courage in His grace, mercy, and forgiveness we gladly face the trials and tribulations of faith for the sake of Jesus. Each challenge to our faith is an opportunity to be found faithful, to be strengthened in our faith and service to God and others in Jesus' name, and to have our faith in Jesus proved and approved by Him. By our faithfulness others are lead to give our Lord "praise, glory, and honor" in which, as His beloved children, we also will share. Tested and found faithful, we experience now and in eternity, joy beyond expression and the salvation of our souls. It's a large piece of Good News we don't want to neglect sharing with others.

Prayer: Father, forgive me for those times when I have failed to act faithfully and honorably in facing the challenges to my faith which occur each day. Help me to act in a manner that praises and glorifies You. Test me that my faith in Jesus might be proved and approved each day, helping me to grow stronger in my relationship with You and my trust in Christ's suffering, death, and resurrection for my salvation. Lead me, by the power of Your Word and Spirit, to be an example of faithfulness and a messenger of Your love and forgiveness. In the precious name of Jesus hear my prayer, O God. Amen.
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--Pastor Boeck

Copyright @2006 Rev. Richard J. Boeck, Jr. All rights reserved.