What is faith? Many definitions have been given for faith, including that of the cynics who say that faith is belief in something that we know is not true. Among the definitions in Webster’s dictionary are “trust”, “belief”, and “trust in and loyalty to God”.
It is important to know what faith is, because Hebrews 11:6 tells us that without faith it is impossible to please God, and goes on to say ” . . . for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.” To meet this requirement, we must have belief, trust and loyalty.
In these days when the wonderful works of God’s creation are attributed to evolution, and when people proclaim that God is dead and recognize no higher authority than their own desires, we are indeed privileged to know for a certainty that God is in heaven and that nothing goes on without His knowledge. After studying the Scriptures, we are also convinced that what God has planned for the future will surely come to pass. We look forward with confidence to the second coming of Christ, the resurrection, the judgment and the establishment of the Kingdom of God on the earth. We see Bible prophecies being fulfilled and recorded in our daily papers, and we know that what God has planned for the earth is as certain as if it were already finished. The details of the plan sometimes surprise us, but the broad outline never changes.
In all these things we have faith. But what of the everyday things of life? Do we depend on God or do we try to do everything for ourselves? In youth and even in middle age, it is easy to feel self sufficient. We have energy and earning power, and there is a tendency to feel that anything in the way of material things we can obtain for ourselves. We look forward to a long future, and, while we know that eventually everyone must die, it seems to be something that happens to old people, not to us.
When sickness, old age and fading strength present us with a bleak future, and we can no longer do things for ourselves, do we turn to God in perfect faith that we will be taken care of, or do we count the money in the bank and endeavor to arrange things in our own way? There is no harm in saving for a “rainy day”, if God prospers us so that we are able to do so, as long as we realize that all of our provisions can be swept away in a short time by forces beyond our control, and we do not contemplate the future in the light of our own power to provide.
We are all familiar with the promise that if we seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness that all these things shall be added unto us (Matthew 6:33). The second part of this verse is often forgotten. In the verse just preceding this, we are told to take no ANXIOUS thought, saying, “What shall we eat? or what shall we drink? or wherewithal shall we be clothed?” It is proper to make what provision we can for these things, but it is not necessary to be unduly concerned about them, for God knows what things we have need of and will make provision for those things we cannot provide for ourselves. We are not guaranteed a life of luxury, but our basic needs will be taken care of, and we should be able to say with Paul, “For I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content” (Philippians 4:11).
What faith was displayed by the widow who cast into the treasury two mites, which was “all her living”! She could have reserved one for herself and still have had little enough, but she had faith that God would take care of her, even if she had to miss a meal or two before help arrived.
On the other hand, there was the rich man in the parable who proposed to make sure of his future, and was about to “Pull down his barns and build greater” so that he would have room to store his goods and be able to take his ease, eat, drink and be merry for many years. But God said to him: “Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee”(Luke 12:16-20).
Many people who trusted in their wealth were wiped out in the stock market crash in 1929, and it was not unusual to read about people committing suicide rather than face the future. All they had depended upon had been taken from them. If we are wise, we will lay up treasure in heaven -that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth” (Luke 12:33).
Perhaps it is not money, but the lone-lines and incapacity of old age that depresses us. What can we do about that? We can help others in that position, as the opportunity arises, and pray that we, too, will be taken care of when and if the necessity arises. Worry solves nothing. and it has been our experience that the things worried about never happened whereas something unexpected did happen. So, in faith, nothing doubting, let us take our problems to the Lord in prayer, and He will provide for us in His own way. What happens to us is really unimportant, it is the way we react that really counts.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One