Faith is built for storms. Like a lifeboat, it’s best to build it before you need it. How can you have a faith that makes a difference in a storm? That, my friend, is what we’ll explore today.
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A group of botanists traveling through Kenya observed a rare and beautiful flower growing at the bottom of a deep ravine. Calling to a young boy who was watching nearby, one of the scientists told him he would pay him well if he would agree to be lowered over the cliff to retrieve the flower below. The boy took one long look down and said, “I’ll be back in a minute.” A short time later he returned, followed by a gray-haired man. Approaching the botanist, the boy said, “Even though that ravine is deep, I will go over that cliff and get that flower for you — but only if this man holds the rope. He’s my dad.”
Today’s verse says CAST ALL YOUR WORRIES ON HIM BECAUSE HE CARES FOR YOU.
That boy knew his dad, and trusted him to hold onto the rope. There were lots of things the boy didn’t know and couldn’t see. The long way down would have plenty of challenges and possible dangers. But the boy DID know who was holding his rope. His faith in his father made his actions possible. Faith and works should always travel side by side, step answering to step, like the legs of people walking. First faith, and then works; and then faith again, and then works again — until they can scarcely distinguish which is the one and which is the other.
This week I’ve spoken with people who’ve had family members they trusted steal huge sums of money from their bank accounts, leaving them to face possible bankruptcy. I’ve spoken with people who were about to visit a hospital for a brain scan because doctors were concerned about a cancerous brain tumor. And also with someone who’d contracted life-threatening typhoid fever. Some of the ravines we face in our lives go very deep indeed.
In life, we don’t get the choice the boy had; we can’t decide whether to go into the ravine or not. Our problems will toss us into deep ravines. But you can still make a choice as to whether you’ll trust our Heavenly Father to keep hold of our rope. and you can choose to CAST ALL YOUR WORRIES ON HIM BECAUSE HE CARES FOR YOU.
Faith is trusting that God will act in the right way at the right time for your best interest. St. Augustine said, “Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand so that you can believe; but believe so that you may understand.” Faith lets us say, “EVEN THOUGH the money has been stolen, I WILL trust my Father to provide what I need.” Faith lets us say, “EVEN THOUGH it may be a tumor, I WILL trust my Father to give me healing and strength.” Faith lets us say, “EVEN THOUGH the typhoid may take my life, I WILL trust my Father because my times are in His hand.” Faith trusts God to hold the rope, and that allows our “Even though .. I will” decisions.
We cannot see the future. But we can trust the one who holds the future. The bible tells us to cast your burdens on the Lord, and He will sustain you; He will never permit the righteous to be moved. Regardless of the fierceness of the storm, it cannot take us away from Him. Even when death comes, as it will to all of us, death is not strong enough to move us away from the One who holds our rope. Faith is trusting that He sees what we do not, and trusts in His love to carry us through all of life’s battles.
Have you heard the phrase “a leap of faith?” It’s like the boy standing at the second floor window of his burning house, afraid to jump. His father called out and said, “Jump, son, I’ll catch you.” “But I can’t see you, Dad,” the boy replied; “the smoke is in my eyes.” The boy’s father answered, “I can see you, son, and that’s all that matters. JUMP!” Faith is to believe what we do not see; and the reward of this faith is to see what we believe.
Faith in Jesus Christ will carry you and me through life’s storms, because He will never leave us or forsake us.
Faith in Jesus Christ will give us a peace that passes understanding when fear and doubt try to steal it from us.
Faith in Jesus lets us make “Even though .. I will” decisions.
Faith in Jesus Christ will allow you to CAST ALL YOUR WORRIES ON HIM BECAUSE HE CARES FOR YOU.
Who’s holding YOUR rope?
