In studying the patriarchs of faith, I have uncovered an interesting connection that they share. Their faith was made perfect, not in prosperity, but in tribulation. Think for a moment of Job, Daniel, or the courage of the Apostles during their persecution. These stories are so encouraging and so fascinating. However, many times we don’t take the lessons that they teach us and use them in our everyday life. In my own life, there has been times when a trial seemed so hard to conquer, that I found my faith beginning to wane. I wondered, had God heard my prayers? If He had, why hadn’t He answered?
Let us consider God’s servant Job. The Bible records that Job was a perfect and upright man, yet he was tried greater than anyone else in the Bible. He lost everything that he had gained, even his own health was taken from him. But through all this, Job came forth as pure gold for he trusted and believed in God. He signified this when he said, ”Though he slay me, yet will I trust in Him." (Job 13:15)
His faith so pleased God that He restored to Job two times as much as he had before.
So now we can see that in our trials God is glorified. ”For the joy of the Lord is YOUR strength." (Neh. 8:10) When trials arise and we stand, when our strength and steadfastness never fade, this is the joy of the Lord!
Just think about it, our faith during trials can actually please the Lord! Remember, Abraham’s faith pleased God so much that He made a covenant of promise with Abraham that we are still living under today. Kings and kingdoms have come and gone, but God is still honoring the faith of Abraham.
All the patriarch’s physical bodies have died and seen corruption. But the faith that they had is still being honored. Every Sunday school class will hear the story of Daniel in the lion’s den; theologians will continue to meditate on the life of Job; every Bible believing minister will study the writings of the Apostles. Until the end of time, their testimonies of faith will bless countless generations.
How wonderful it is that the same faith that worked in their lives, continues to work in ours today. The same faith that kept the apostle Paul during the persecution of the church will help us to weather the temptations that come in our everyday lives. For we are truly ”compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses." (Heb. 12:1)
These great stories of faith teach us not only to expect trials and tribulations, but also that we can, by faith, overcome any evil that befalls us. Paul said in Romans 8:37 that ”IN all these things we are made more that conquerors through him that loved us." We, as Christians, must remember that ”greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world." (1 John 4:4) This is our fountain of faith; our well in a dry and thirsty land. We must strive to uphold the testimony of faith in our generation. Jesus Christ Himself posed a question that has echoed through time and now speaks directly to us: ”when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?" (St. Luke 18:8) |
