Stewardship
Faith: You Can Take It With You to The Bank

Faith—we ALL have it—faith that the car will start when we head off to work, faith that the school WILL be open when we get there, even faith that the elastic in those "nylon fiends from hell," women’s pantyhose, will hold up and not dissolve in embarrassing pools around our feet. Sorry, guys, it HAD to be said!

Now, what (you are asking yourself) on earth does faith have to do with stewardship??  Oh, friends! It is the gift of GOD, not of works, lest any man should boast, and as such, deserves daily sacrifice to the Giver. And isn’t it a miracle?! Why, the more we lean on Him, trust Him, devour His Word, the more He gives us! We give Him a mustard seed, He grows it into a bejeweled coronet of complete assurance and certain hope, of fruitful living full of godly works and utter joy to the believing heart! Oh, how many times have I read and basked in His infallible promises, only to go out and fall into a quivering pathetic mass at the first sign of trouble? Do you know that in any concordance the word "faith" or "faithful" covers PAGES of references? And you KNOW how tiny that little bitty print is on those tissue-paper pages! Not to mention the passages that refer to faith without even using the word!

Paul tells us in Ephesians that we are DEAD in sin—not on life support, not gasping or wheezing, but D-E-A-D. And yet our incredible, unchanging, sovereign God has loved us so that He stoops to administer the redeeming CPR Himself! What a Savior! And the Good News doesn’t stop there—once He saves us, He WILL conform us to the impeccable image of Christ. Oh, Loving Father, let me not hinder Your work by rebelliousness or timid and ineffectual faith!

And be forewarned—our Holy God WILL get your attention. I think faith grows, oh, so slowly in comfort and ease, yet it grows exponentially with trials and hardship. Often in the past, I feared the dropping of the other shoe, and it came with a vengeance. Anyone who has lost a greatly beloved child or family member will tell you that there is absolutely nothing outside the precious promises of Jehovah Jireh by which you can maintain sanity, much less comfort.

C.H. Spurgeon says in his Morning and Evening daily readings that "Christians often want to die when they have any trouble," more to escape the trouble than to go home, but that "He never asks for us to be admitted to the inheritance in glory till we are of full age" (in His sanctification of us and thus, our faith). My continuing prayer is that I will desire more to see my Savior than to see my son again. We have been left here, as all believers have, somehow in some way to some person to show God’s Glory, although our feeble lights be flickering weakly. Dr. Thomas touched my heart deeply when he spoke to us in Sunday School about "even faith hanging as the slenderest thread" is faith unbreakable indeed, when it is of God.

With the growing of faith comes the necessary development of fruit. The Majestic God of Eternity, Who did not spare His own SON, but gave Him up for us all, will graciously give us all things, and no trouble, hardship, persecution, or any other element can separate us from the love of Christ! He will produce orchards of fruit in us for His glory! Oh, Matchless Lord, Author and Finisher of my faith, don’t let me be found with a bunch of moldy oranges and rotten apples when You call me home! You have lovingly given me all that I need to honor You; may I not waste Your priceless gifts with ingratitude or sloth or arrogance or even grief! Mold me into a tiny, glittering diamond chip in Your Royal Diadem, thus to shine Your light before men!