Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Faith Fractures

The following quote is great, I am more firmly convinced as I age, that the life of faith is not in my hands, but rather in the hands of Him, who holds me. That only works done from that place of joy and comfort forever remains.

I was reminded of this again as I re-read the underlining of a current book I am reading, A Long Obedience in the Same Direction.

"But all the time, as we read that saw-toothed history, we realize something solid and steady: they are always God's people. God is steadfastly with them, in mercy and judgement, insistently gracious. We get the feeling that everthing is done in the sure, certain enviromnment of the God who redeems his people. And as we learn that , we learn to love not by our feelings about God but by the facts of God. If I break my leg I do not become less a person. My wife and children do not repudiate me. Neither when my faith fractures or my feelins bruise does God cast me off and reject me.

My feelings are important for many things. They are essential and valuable . They keep me aware of much that is true and real. But they tell me next to nothing about God or my relation to God. My sercurity come from who God is, not from how I feel. Dicsipleship is a decision to live by what I know about God, not by what I "feel about him or myself or my neighbors. 'As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about his people.' The image that announces the dependable , unchanging, safe and secure existence of God's people come from geology, not psychology." (p.87)

Hebrew 12:2 - "our eyes fixed on Jesus."

The Send Off, the Storm, and the Stilling. All are in His hands.

2 comments:

WordGirl said...

Love this! Long Obedience in the Same Direction is one my favorite non-fiction books. And this post is a great reminder that my feelings don't change who I am anymore than they change who God is. As I try to sort through exactly who I am and who God made me to be, it's comforting to realize that as the dross burns away, it's not changing what's there underneath.

EJN said...

He alone is good. Sending Love - thanks for being you!-J