Faith

Have you ever seen the movie Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. If you haven’t put down what you are doing, go and rent it. After you’ve seen it come back and read the rest of this Daily Feast. For those who have seen it, do you remember the part toward the end where Indi is going through the tests to get the Holy Grail? The best one, in my opinion, is the last test. Indiana comes to this giant canyon, so deep the bottom is barely visible. He looks down at his Father’s journal and reads, “The path of God, only a leap from the Lion’s head will he prove his worth.” Then after a pause he says “it’s a leap of faith!” That phrase is so common in our Christian culture. Whenever we face a situation that seems impossible; when we come to that bottomless canyon with no visible bridge, we always say, “It’s a leap of faith!”

Faith is such a funny thing. If you remember back to the movie after Indi reads and realizes what he must do, he clutches his heart. Takes one last relaxing breath, sticks out his leg and takes the first step. That, my brothers and sisters, is faith. You see nothing but a bottomless pit, yet know that you must take a step, trusting and believing that you will land on an invisible path in front of you. Faith trusts and rests in the belief and hope that you will not fail.

This concept is all over the Bible believe it or not. Peter climbed out of a boat and walked on a surface that had never held him before. Abraham left his home, Hosea married a prostitute and David rejected Saul’s armor. Faith is a running theme in the Bible but there is one story that sticks out to me.

In the book of Acts the apostles were doing many signs and wonders. The people were amazed but feared them a little. Verse 15 of chapter 5 tells us that people were even bringing out the sick so that Peter’s shadow would pass over them and they would be healed. Now hold on just a minute. I understand that perhaps the people were afraid of the apostles because of what they were doing, but where does this shadow business come from? That’s a good question, I’m glad you asked it. This was actually a pagan healing practice. People would lay the sick outside and a pagan “witchdoctor” or “magician” would walk by and his shadow would supposedly heal the sick.

So now the question is why would these Jews (because remember they are in Jerusalem) be doing this pagan practice. I think the answer is because of faith. Think now, was it really Peter’s shadow doing the healing or was it the Holy Spirit using Peter’s shadow as the vessel which this gift was being given? These people believed that only if they could come into contact with some part of Peter they could be healed. That doesn’t say that Peter and the apostles approved or condoned this practice. They opposed a magical view to spiritual power. But verse 16 indicates that it was working, people were being healed by a simple shadow.

It’s like that story in the Gospels when the women touched the hem of Jesus’ garment. In Matthew 9:21 she says, “If I only touch His garment, I will get well.” So she does. Then Jesus says to her, “Daughter, take courage, your faith has made you well!” (Emphasis mine) Was it the touching of the garment that healed her? I don’t think so. Was it Peter’s shadow that healed those people? Not a chance. “Your Faith has made you well!!”

Faith is a funny thing, it make us take action in ways that seem totally illogical and idiotic to our intellect. There is no room for common sense when faith takes over. Faith is trusting that the LORD is in control, letting that knowledge fill you up and then resting in that hope and knowledge.

So what things in your life are holding you back from taking the leap? Where are you lacking faith? I’m not talking about your faith in Christ, but I am talking about those areas of your life that you haven’t given to God. Those areas where you still think you have control. The areas you’re holding back, not trusting God or letting Him in. Finances, sickness, whatever it is give it up to God. Stop denying Him the chance to show you His mercy and Bless You. Give it up, have faith.

Remember what happened to Dr. Jones. He believed, took that relaxing breath, made the leap and walked all the way to the other side. I know you’ll end up there too.

One more story and then I promise I’m done. I read an article some time ago about a preacher who was doing a weekend seminar out west. He wrote about a women who came up to him looking like she hadn’t slept in weeks mostly because she hadn’t. Her daughter was very sick and she stayed up day and night praying for her. She was asking this preacher to pray with her. He asked her why she was doing this to herself. She told him she wanted to have the faith for her to be healed. She thought if she stopped praying that would show a lack of faith and her daughter would die. He said to her, you of little faith, in the name of Jesus go home and sleep. God has heard your prayers now have faith that he will do it. God home and go to bed. The next day she awoke to a phone call from her completely healed daughter.

Faith trusts in God that He is in control and rests in that hope and knowledge.

May you have Great Faith!