Faith for Everything "I want to have faith, but I keep trying to figure out everything with my own brain." The other day I was on the phone talking with a representative about some additional promotional ideas for my book. Toward the wrap-up of the call, he said "I really like what your book is about. I have problems with faith. I want to have faith, but I keep trying to figure out everything with my own brain." I chuckled, but I sure understood. All of us do that, or have done that at some point while developing our faith. We try to the best of our ability to come up with answers and solutions to our issues and problems, and constantly fail in all of our trying. It's because our faith should be in God's ability, not our own. He said "I try to figure out everything ..." Well, I believe we need faith for everything, big things and small things. I find it to be a relief that I can look to God for help with everything that concerns me....
John Henry Newman was an Anglican priest, poet and theologian and later a Catholic cardinal, who was an important and controversial figure in the religious history of England in the 19th century. From a vast array of essays and lectures, many a quote of his has been left to ponder. "Time hath a taming hand." "Christian! Learn to do thy part, and leave the rest to Heaven." "Keep Thou my feet: I do not ask to see the distant scene—one step is enough for me," are just a few. One of his quotes in particular that I like is this one: "Somehow, I am necessary to God's purpose..." Awesome, right? What a beautiful, humbling reality when we experience that awareness, when we can emphatically and conclusively say, "I am necessary for God's purpose!" Unfortunately, many of us are all too often left stuck in our pondering on what our purpose is , rather than an action-oriented pursuing of it. I think about when God instructed Moses ...
My Mom made the best banana pudding ever, and I do mean EVER. I have yet to taste anything like her recipe. I always waited in great anticipation for that pudding whenever she decided to make it. I loved it. I would wiggle in my seat as a young girl, humming and licking my lips whenever I had some. It was so good! I still praise her pudding over anyone else's, simply because it tasted that wonderful. I can promise you that if you had tasted it, you would completely agree. When David reflected on his personal experiences with God, he was often both boasting and praising in his expressions of how good God is. David had tasted the goodness of the Lord in his life and it was no secret how he felt about God. In Psalm 34:8 he says "taste and see that the Lord is good." My spiritual imagination tells me that David was trying to get across a message to us that he was fully convinced of himself: 'try God and see for yourself.' David had experienced God's favor, ...