~ Uncertainty Conquered

Today I rather feel like a journalist who is about to make a rebuttal: but not quite.  The other day I wrote about “Uncertainty the problem of Faith” today I realized that I had not adequately dealt with the topic so here is the rest.  

Today we went to the send-off of a teenager who in human terms would have been classed as cut down before her time.  She had an inoperable brain tumour but if one thing came out of the celebration it was that she didn’t see it that way.

In my last treatment of uncertainty I was largely dealing with the issues of faith in terms of a marketing approach.  Evangelism and mission in the Christian context is very other focussed, it must be so.  For it to be otherwise would be like asking someone to jump out in front of a speeding train just to get onto it.  As a child and since I have heard mothers ask their children.  “If someone asked you to jump off a cliff would you?”

You see I am somewhat schizophrenic when dealing with matters of faith.  On the one hand I am absolutely certain of Jesus and the faith I have in Him, on the other hand I am aware that what we have to offer the unbelieving people around us, those we are called to seek and serve, regard us as irrelevant do-gooders who are usually little more than a pain in the neck, or something along that line.

Quite often the example that we set for them is part of the reason but as well as that is the issue of the quantum height   that it can be where we set the bar for their leap into faith.  It was never Jesus model to expect huge commitments like some are asked to do.  He simply loved the people and they chose to follow Him.

So what made today so different?  Some of you may know my young friend her name was Bethany.  She had a Facebook mission outreach that was international.  And to the end her live was lived to the glory of her Saviour, like Paul, Beth could say she was being poured out for God’s glory.  I have had times in my life like that.

Times that I went toward the shadowy valleys but then I came back.  Like the hymn writer so long ago wrote “I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able.”  I believe God; you will notice I didn’t say “I believe in God”.  There is a difference as the all the world it seems believes in a god of some sort.

We all need a certainty of faith.  We need to be so sure of the one we believe that we are prepared to put all on the line in the undiminished certainty that no matter how dark thinks get He is always with us ... regardless.  Of course this is something that grows with time and experience.  It doesn’t just crash down upon us all in one hit: Father leads us in ways that He knows are best for each one of us.

So then just to recap on two writings. We do need to be rock solid on the “what” of our faith.  We also need to acknowledge that we might know a little but we do not know everything.  Next we need to accept that what we hold as truth may have no significance to the people we are trying to reach for the Master.  Finally we must remember that He did not ask people to make decisions on what to believe He simply loved them to life and faith.