What is faith? According to this verse it is the foundation upon which we add all the other character qualities Peter says we must add to make our calling and election sure, so that we will never stumble. I am assuming all you ladies have faith, and that it will be good for all of us to review what it is, in what we have faith, and what it looks like in the physical world.
Our role model for the week is Mary, Jesus' mother. Mary, when we first meet her, is a young single woman - probably only a teenager. She is espoused but is still a virgin. Let's take a few minutes to look at her example today. Your assignment for today is to find a definition of faith that means something to you and then look at Mary. Share with us how you see her showing her faith in Luke 1:26-38. You are not limited to this passage only, but at least read this one for our discussion.
2 comments:
I looked up "faith" online and I didn't like the modern definitions much...so I am using Hebrews 11:1 -"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." I don't think there's a better definition out there from man. We hope for those things we have been promised, but haven't seen...YET. One of the Merriam-Webster definitions is believing in something for which there is no evidence. This is what atheists believe about Christians (and definitely what we believe about them). We know there is lots of evidence of the existence of God all around us that they refuse to acknowledge (Rom. 1). Our faith goes much deeper than just a belief that God exists. So much more...a belief that He is the one and only Creator of the earth, a belief that He created us and expects obedience from us, belief in heaven and hell as real places, belief that He has promised we will join Him in heaven when we die, if we are diligent to love and follow Him, etc.
Mary showed a deep faith when she believed the angel and said, "Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word." I like Mary. She was a thinker. In Luke, it states several times throughout the book that she "held" something in her heart or "pondered" what something might mean. Although she was startled and confused by how the angel greeted her, and what he told her was going to happen, she still had the presence of mind to ask a pertinent question! And when he explained the "process", she was satisfied and had faith that it would be okay. She didn't ask for a sign or try to talk him out of it, she accepted God's will. That's some faith, there.
I read somewhere that God requires belief and trust in moments of human weakness, but faith is what makes us strong. Faith is the state of being convinced about what we hope for. (as found in Heb 11:1)
As mentioned earlier, Mary was clearly convinced in her heart that with God ANYTHiNG was possible. There was a lot at stake for Mary and her reputation, but her quiet submission was such a testimony to her faith. No matter how insignificant we may feel in this world, God has a plan for all of us.
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