Trust Building

“Lord, save us! We are perishing!” But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” How many times have we cried out to God to save us from perceived harm only to be confronted by Him for having too little faith in Him? This passage from Matthew 8:25-26 sheds light on an oft overlooked necessity of the Christian life – faith building. We are all too willing to build our bodies, to stock pile possessions, or to enlarge our financial portfolios. The Lord desires for us to enlarge our faith in Him and He will lead us through many trials and tribulations and bestow us many blessings in order to develop our faith so that we trust in Him no matter the circumstance. Just as His disciples pleaded with Him to save them, He will respond in kind when we plead with Him to save us from the storm we may be in the midst of, whether it is actual or perceived, because it is the very storm which enlarges and strengthens our faith in Him. To save us from it would end His efforts to strengthen us in order for us to build our trust in Him. Storms will come; are you prepared to endure or will you cry out to God in little faith to be saved? May God strengthen us all through the storms which arise in our lives.

At This Point in Time

As we progress along our seminary journey, the end of the road is in sight. Looking back over the years, we see how very much God has provided, both materially and spiritually. His wisdom has guided us along our road and His provisions have sustained us. A journey of this duration requires fortitude and endurance, patience and strength, and humbleness and courage. Each step demands effort, yet when each one is taken one at a time without regard for the others, the journey is bearable. One way to look at the seminary journey is to determine the length of each step, then multiply by the number of steps to determine the length of the road. This is best done as one nears the end of the journey rather than attempting to plan for a long distance ahead. By keeping the perspective of taking each step one at a time, the length of the road becomes less important and the discoveries made along the journey become significant. By looking back on the steps taken and the many directions the journey diverted from its original plan, one can see the Master’s hand at work to provide guidance and strength to endure. No amount of planning ahead can prepare one for a journey of this magnitude. What it takes is the willingness to take the first step and keep going.