Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see. -Hebrews 11:1
Let’s be real: faith begins and ends with God. It is the evidence of His things in our lives. Evidence is a powerful word. Without scientific evidence, scientists flounder in theory. Without crime scene evidence, detectives can’t solve crimes.
And without the evidence of faith?
You might think that without faith, we doubt. But really, the opposite of faith is inactivity. Without faith, we sit on the sidelines of life. But with faith we leap into lives that are full of action; we become walking billboards for God.
Eugene Peterson puts it this way in his paraphrase The Message: “The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living.”
Want a life worth living? Let’s set up a firm foundation with three facts:
1) God knows you. He isn’t distant. He knows you with all the intimacy of a creator; as the Song of Songs reminds us, God’s presence with us is more intimate than any lover’s. God knows all about you. He knows your victories. He knows your dreams. He knows your sin. He knows every secret you hide from everyone else. He sees the real you. God made you and He will work with you on helping you become His true you: the real you. And as He knows everything about you, get this…
2) God likes you! Yes, you’ve heard 1000 times that He loves you. But what I’m saying now is that He likes you. You are exactly the way he made you and he likes you. No matter who you are or what you’ve done in your past, he likes you. There’s a you that makes him smile. Therefore, let Him inside your deepest, most secret place and He’ll work with you on all the stuff that you struggle with. No matter how many times you might stumble, don’t forget that your God likes you even then. Thomas Kelly (in his marvelous book A Testament of Devotion) reminds us that “if you slip and stumble and forget <that God likes you> for an hour…don’t spend too much time in anguished regrets and self-accusations but begin again, just where you are.”
3) God will aid your successes! He has more for you than you can imagine. He wants you to live a life worth living! Do you have a dream job or dream home? He wants you to achieve it. And, better still, He wants to be involved in the process. Remember, He likes you. So grab His hand and walk with Him throughout each day. You’ll be amazed at the places He’ll bring you.
God isn’t afraid of your issues.
God likes you.
God wants you to live the most amazing life.