June 17--The Kind Of Faith I Want

What does a strong and vibrant faith in God look like?  Today's passages give some insight, and the news surprises me:  1 Kings 18, Acts 11, Psalms 135, Proverbs 17:10-11. 

Click here for the written post of today's episode.

Eve reads her Bible journal aloud on this episode.

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Transcript

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June 17, the kind of faith I want. I won't be reading the scripture references. For those, please check the written post. All those times I was ashamed to wear skirts, all those wasted birthday wishes blowing out candles, all those years pining away for something else rather than relishing what I already had. Now I'm just thankful they still work. I always wanted legs like my friend Louise Bricken, whose legs were long and lean and bony like Twiggy, the supermodel of the sixties. I got stuck with a sturdier variety, and it's taken most of my life to decide that I like them. Way back when I tried to dye it myself skinny to slim them, but muscle won't be diminished unless it's dying, which is a sobering reminder. There was a time when I'd rather have died than accept them, but now that I'm in my sixties, I know that more muscle means I can still go the distance. God knew I'd still want to be active in my retirement years. He knew what I'd need to get around with. These strong, sturdy legs are good for all weathers and adventures. I'm grateful

1 Kings 18

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to have them. Everything I want comes from God, including the faith to trust him with everything I don't want. Today's passages tell more about having a faith that's planted and resilient like this. The Old Testament chapter is first Kings eighteen. When this man prayed, big things happened. He prayed that it wouldn't rain and it didn't, and after a three year drought he prayed for rain and here came a downpour. He also prayed that God would consume an animal offering with fire, and would you believe? Fire fell out of heaven and burned it all up, which is the story of this chapter. It would be easy to chalk it all up to the fact that this was Elijah, a man of God and a famous prophet, because he was, but the Bible's not impressed by his reputation and resume. What it says about Elijah is that he was a man quote, just like us, end quote, because what was extraordinary about Elijah was that he trusted an extraordinary God. Elijah's preferred hotline to heaven was prayer. It also helped that he led a righteous life, since this is what James gave him credit for when he wrote, quote, the prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with, end quote. God listens when we pray. He also pays attention to how we're living. When the requests we make come wrapped up in our obedience, we can have confidence that He'll grant them. Jesus said we can have anything we ask for in His name when what we ask for is what God wants. The secret to an effective prayer life is that a person leads a good life, a righteous life, though it's hardly a secret since it's written right here in the Bible for anyone to read. But it's important to note that a good life doesn't mean a perfect one. God credited David with leading a righteous life in every particular except for that business with Uriah, quote, for David had not failed to keep any of the Lord's commands all the days of his life, except in the case of Uriah the Hittite, end quote. Because of Jesus' sacrifice, perfection is not the standard God holds us to. After all, David did some sinful stuff right along with what was good. God's idea of righteousness for flawed and failing human beings isn't ours, which is always surprising. When God says that David was righteous, he wasn't spitballing. David kept coming back to God after failing. He kept on repenting, but he depended on God's righteousness alone to save him, not his own. And this was why God could say he was righteous because David trusted in God's righteousness to cover him, quote, in your righteousness rescue me and deliver me, turn your ear to me and save me, end quote. Elijah hid from King Ahab who wanted to kill him because of the drought, and he lived with a widow and her son in nowhere'sville. He accepted being sidelined from his career as prophet for more than three years, and he didn't cook up a campaign to get his words out in the meantime. He laid low and waited for what God would say next. When God finally called him back into action, he went straight to Ahab and led in one of the most extraordinary events in the Bible, which is the one told in this chapter. It was a showdown between Baal and God Almighty so that God's people could decide who they would follow, and Elijah laid out their choices. If God is the real God, follow him. If it's Baal, follow him. Make up your minds, end quote. The priests of Baal called out to him all day to send fire down to consume their offering, but of course Baal never did. It must have been kind of embarrassing really. It's worth noting that these priests weren't Philistines or other pagan types, and neither was the audience they performed for that day, with their cries for help from Baal, their wild dancing, the cuts in their flesh. These were God's people, the descendants of those whom Moses led through the wilderness. The leadership of a slew of wicked kings plus the sinfulness of their own stupid choices had led them astray, so that they'd stop worshiping God who wouldn't you know, still wanted them back. It was to this king and these people that God sent Elijah, and the show they put on made every mouth drop. When it was Elijah's turn to offer the sacrifice, he soaked the animal on the altar three separate times with water, so much water in fact, that it filled up the gutter that encircled the altar. Then Elijah prayed a simple prayer for three things, that God would make it obvious that he alone was God in Israel, that Elijah was his servant and doing what he commanded, and that his people would know that God was turning their hearts back to him, as he alone was the one true God of Israel. My friend Melinda likes to say, God either is or he ain't exactly. On that day God was and is and would always be the only God for his people, and in one spectacular display he dazzled them to prove it. Elijah's life was lived in service to God, and he quote, strengthened Elijah mightily and quote. Elijah didn't seem to struggle with whether or not he was worthy of the job. He simply stepped up or down as God directed. He trusted in God's righteousness to cover him, like David did. The greatness of Elijah was that he talked to God and did what he said. You can have greatness too, because this is what life with God boils down to for anyone. You talk to God in prayer, you soak in what he says, and you do it, and when you fail to do it, you ask forgiveness and start again. Righteous living is living in a prayerful, obedient relationship with God. It's also trusting God to help you to do it. It isn't about never failing, it's about never failing to repent, and it's knowing God's forgiveness is always yours because of Jesus.

Acts 11

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I want a faith that trusts God to be God, that keeps turning back when I fail him, that keeps enjoying his forgiveness. The New Testament chapter is Acts eleven. After Jesus ascends, the church he began takes hold, and surprising things happen. Peter recounts the latest news in this chapter, which is that Gentiles are welcomed into the family of faith that up till now had been exclusively for Jews or Jewish converts. It would be easy to become stodgy and nail down what the rules are at this point, but Saul, Barnabas, Peter, and others follow the Holy Spirit's lead to embrace the Gentiles who believe in Jesus without making them become Jews first. Since God is already filling them with his spirit in obvious ways, who are they to ask these folks to jump through hoops? It would be foolish to discriminate against those who God Himself validates. Loving welcome always wins over snooty exclusion, no matter a person's sin or situation. This is how the spirit still moves through open arms, not self righteous rules. While loving someone might sometimes look like having boundaries, Jesus still said we'd show the world we're his followers by how we love them, not by how we avoid them. It's important to search our hearts and to invite God to search them too. Sure, Jesus has rules, but he said the most important one is to love God in each other. If you struggle with accepting some folks like I do, ask God's all inclusive spirit to do his good work in you. A few years back I realized that I wasn't tender hearted toward Asians, but I didn't know any, so I asked God for an Asian friend, and out of the blue, a whole Chinese family showed up at our church. I don't have just one Asian friend now. I have the Luos, a family

Psalm 135, Prayer, Proverbs 17:10-11

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of six. God is quick to answer prayers for the things he wants too. I want a faith that loves and welcomes others. From Psalm one hundred thirty five. The Psalmist says to shout our praises because God is highly and eternally exalted, but He's also connected in a walk and talk intimacy. He never expires and is never out of style or old hat. He always stands up for us, holds our hands, helps us out. Idols can't do this. They're dead trophies of wood and metal or plain ol flesh and bones. Whether homes, toys, or people, they need continual care and fixing up. No matter how loaded your bank account is, it can't fill up your heart. But watch out. Idols do have the power to suck your life dry. They can make you blind, deaf, and dumb because quote, those who trust in them become like them, end quote. I've experienced this more times than I can tell you. If you're tempted to love other things more than God, there's good news. Idol smashing is a work God's Spirit does with you. And the best tip for smashing comes from this psalm, and it's this bless God. You can't sincerely praise and thank God and be holed up with an idol, at least not for long. Eventually, something's got to give. So bless the God who never stops being God for you. Bless the God who never stops giving back more than you can thank Him for. Bless the God who knows best what you really need and what you most want. I want a faith that turns to God alone and not to substitutes. Prayer. God, I can't drum up the faith that I want, but you can. It's a relief to know you want me to have it even more than I want to ask for it. Fill me up, Baba. In Jesus' name, so be it. From Proverbs 17, 10 to 11. A thoughtful person only needs a light touch of reproof, while a hit over the head is lost on a fool. Those who look for trouble will always find it. Passages from 1 Kings, Acts, Psalms, and Proverbs are selected for today in the yearly Bible. This is Eve de Bartleaban Roebuck.