FAITH

1 Corinthians 13:13
“And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”

Every building has a foundation and upon that foundation rests the weight of the entire structure and all of its pillars. Similarly, in the life of the believer, our foundation is Christ and the pillars that hold us up are faith, hope and love. These three pillars are essential for every believer. Not only are they essential, but they are unique (like creating a building with precious materials). These diverse pillars are building components that are only available to Christ-followers. Since they are only available to the Church of God, it makes sense that the pillars of faith, hope and love ought to be seen within the Church. It’s something that we should be proud to put on display!

 This week, I would like to kick off a three-part devotional series covering the beloved verse above. Let’s begin by looking at the first pillar mentioned, faith. Faith, quite simply, is trusting Jesus fully. Trusting Him more than the world. While the world will offer plenty of its guidance, the believer is given the light of the Word and, therefore, we can rest comfortably in that. Trusting Him more than your circumstances. Your circumstances demand your attention and can very easily lead one to a life of worry (even if it’s for a season). The believer who is walking in faith, sees their circumstances through the lens of Christ and not the other way around.

     So faith is trust in Jesus, but, like all trust, it is proved by our actions. We can claim a big “faith” game, but, when push comes to shove, we fold. Faith is not heard, although people will vocalize that they have it. Faith isn’t felt, smelled or even tasted; faith is seen! When we respond to adverse circumstances or the status quo of the world, if we put our trust in Jesus, no matter what, our faith is seen. We live in a time where it is very easy to show our faith. The world tells us one way that is acceptable to live, but if we choose to live the life of purity that Christ has called us to, our faith will be very noticeable. The situation that we are all facing right now, with the Coronavirus, is causing many to worry and be fearful, but we can respond with our faith; with completely trusting Jesus even when the world seems to be falling apart! Believe me, that’s a faith that is seen!