“Awe” is the “fruit” of healthy thinking.

 

And when he came to the house, he allowed no one to enter with him, except Peter and John and James, and the father and mother of the child. And all were weeping and mourning for her, but he said, “Do not weep, for she is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. But taking her by the hand he called, saying, “Child, arise.” And her spirit returned, and she got up at once. And he directed that something should be given her to eat.   Luke 8:51-55 (ESV) Jesus was about to demonstrate that He was God. People laughed. The idea that Jesus was God, that He controlled life and death, was ludicrous to the Godless. There are many truths that are ludicrous to the Godless such as these: The idea of an all-powerful God who created and sustains the universe. The idea of sin and its devastation to all relationships The idea of truth The idea of finding life in death We tend to marginalize and ridicule the things in life we do not understand, yet there is so much we do not understand. If we decided to ridicule everything we did not understand, we would live a most miserable life. Healthy people are usually awed by things that are too big for them to understand, and those things usually bring them to God. Unhealthy people lose their awe, try to come up with explanations for everything even if they need to make it up and live miserable self- centered lives. Those who examine the wonders of creation will be in awe, for “awe” is the “fruit” of healthy thinking.

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Just Believe?

 

But Jesus on hearing this answered him, “Do not fear; only believe, and she will be well.”  Luke 8:50 (ESV) When we read this encounter, we see the importance of “believing” or faith. We are told in Hebrews that without faith we cannot please God. It is clear that those who are successful in God’s eyes are people who believe, people of faith. Yet the idea of belief and faith by themselves falls short. It is not important that we believe in something. It is important that we believe in God, the one and true God, the only God. It is not important that we believe in someone’s rhetoric, but in truth. Our belief or faith is only as good as the object in which it is. If we believe in ourselves, then we are only as strong and powerful as we can be. If we believe in government, church leaders, or educational systems, we can only be as strong as those institutional leaders are strong. In order to have any benefit from a belief system or our faith, we must believe/have faith in something worthy of belief. God is the only one who fits that category. Those who do not believe in God, or who have trouble with faith in God, do not know Him, for when you know Him, you rest in what you know about Him. It is not necessary to have understanding in order to have faith, it is necessary to know the truth, and when you apply the truth, you are living out your faith. “Just believe” is a nice ditty that is an incomplete thought that will lead people to destruction should they just believe in something other than God.

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Faith in?

 

But Jesus said, “Someone touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me.” And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.”   Luke 8:46-48 (ESV) God knows our pain, and He knows how to deal with our pain. He can relieve our pain or use our pain to make us strong. He can demonstrate His faithfulness though our pain, or use our pain to communicate with us. Some take these verses and put the cause of this woman’s healing on the woman’s back due to the fact that she has faith. They will take a passage like this and exhort others to have more faith in order to get God to give them what they want. Yet faith is a byproduct, not something we can produce for a moment. Faith comes from hearing the Word of God and applying it. Our faith is not in our ability to have faith, but in what God has said, what God has and is doing, and in God’s power, ability, love, mercy, and grace. Knowing God produces faith. Perhaps Jesus could have said this to this woman: “You know me well and have acted in accordance with what you know. Because of that, you have been healed.” However, it was much simpler and to the point to say that her faith had healed you.   If I want more faith, I need to spend more time with God and live in the context of what I know.

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We were made...

 

“And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and though she had spent all her living on physicians, she could not be healed by anyone. She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, and immediately her discharge of blood ceased."    Luke 8:43-44 (ESV)   Proximity to God is the most important ingredient to a successful life. If one is sick or in danger, lonely, tired, discouraged, or confused, close proximity to God allows you to rest. We were not made to go it alone, without God, our Shepherd. We were not made to fight the enemy because we have no need to fight when we are close to God. We were not made to fret or be anxious and we have no way of making fretting and anxiousness valuable. We were made to be close to God, to trust Him, to enjoy Him, and thereby enjoy each other and this life that He has given us. The evil one continually does what he can to lure us from Him knowing that on our own we are no match for him. For now, the choice is ours.

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Acknowledgement of God

 

Jesus then asked him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion,” for many demons had entered him. And they begged him not to command them to depart into the abyss."    Luke 8:30-31 (ESV) Satan and his followers know who God is and know that when He speaks, they must listen. It seems they know more than we know. Because of the unique love relationship God has for man, He gives us choice, real choice. With real choice comes real consequences, and although God is not tolerant, He is patient. A proper relationship starts with the acknowledgement of God as God, just as Satan and the demons seem to do, yet it does not end there. A proper relationship with God is demonstrated by those who obey God because of His love, not because they have no choice. One day we will be in the position where our choice will be gone, but while we have one, it is meaningful because of its demonstration to ourselves and to the world of what we believe. Those who fear God because of His love can live healthy lives. Those who fear Him because of His power and judgement will most likely experience His power and judgement both in ways they would rather not see. For now, the choice is mine.

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Where is our Faith?

"One day he got into a boat with his disciples, and he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side of the lake.” So they set out, and as they sailed he fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water and were in danger. And they went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and the raging waves, and they ceased, and there was a calm. He said to them, “Where is your faith?” And they were afraid, and they marveled, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him?”    Luke 8:22-25 (ESV) Jesus has no perspective, He only knows truth, which, in reality, is without perspective. Therefore, when Jesus asks, “Where is your faith?” He is really talking about what they believe, and the fact that they have yet to actually believe the truth that has been evident. We all have truth that is evident in our lives, and we all go through times when the evident truth is not so evident. It is at that moment that we need to ask ourselves the same question. Where is our faith, the faith we have studied about, proclaimed, taught, and supposedly love?

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Why Worship God?

 

"No one after lighting a lamp covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light. For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light. Take care then how you hear, for to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away.”    Luke 8:16-18 (ESV) Why would you hide the obvious? Is it possible to hide the obvious? Can we ever really have secrets? God sees all, knows all, understands all, and still loves us. We have never been able to hide from Him, keep any secrets from Him, or successfully lie or manipulate Him. At times, we think we have a private life, and we might when it comes to people, but with God and the Heavenly hosts, we have never had a private moment. This might scare those who do not understand the love of God or those who have worked diligently at a reputation that has been perpetuated on perception. God has no perception., He just knows things the way they are. He knows things the way they are and He still loves us, sent His Son to die for us, and wants us to enjoy Him now and forever. There are many reasons to worship God. His love for us is perhaps the most powerful.

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