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Garden of the Gods

Trials, Faith, Steadfastness and the Hope of Perfection

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I am notoriously horrible at memorization, so scripture memory is really a chore for me. But because it’s so good for me, I dedicate myself to work on it. Recently I was engaging a section of scripture (James 1:2-8) and called it out to a group of Revolution5 Leadership Institute students during a workout, as encouragement. This stood out to me:

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

As we pounded our bodies in the hot sun, I asked myself, “Is this what the verse is talking about? This is, of course, a trial of a various kind, but is it testing my faith?” For a bit, I chewed on this as steam billowed from my mouth and sweat dripped from my brow.

This particular workout was emphasizing the importance of allowing our personal mission statements to be the higher goal in all that we do; that the goal, for example, wasn’t to endure a tortuous workout. Instead, we aim to be willing to go anywhere and do anything to fulfill God’s call on our lives.

We each took turns declaring our mission statements to each other with confidence. Each student’s statement was powerful; full of life, love and potential. But what did it really have to do with faith?

The Epiphany

With the mountains all around us and the majestic red spires of the Gard of the Gods coming out of the ground in the distance, I attempted to catch my breath for a brief moment as we held plank position together. Then it occurred to me:

“Faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” (Hebrews 11:1)

Our “mission statement” was, indeed, full of faith. Each of our personal missions were lofty, proclaiming the potential which God had called us to. The mere words were invoking confidence in our hearts, for things hoped for and potential not yet claimed.

In a way, we were living out James 1:2-3 as we trained our bodies and minds to endure trials while focusing on things hoped for — the fulfillment of our mission.

It was an encouraging moment, realizing that God was refining us through the steadfastness of our workout and meditation on the heavenly call upon our lives. All the effort of exercise, mission statements and memorizing scripture would one day have it’s full effect on me, that I might be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Early Morning Fog at Jenny Lake of Grand Tetons

Move Forward Into The Unknown

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When faced with a decision, especially one requiring trust and sacrifice — looking forward into the unknown and leaving behind the security and comfort of the familiar — there is one primary concept at work that has been bubbling to the surface lately. That is, “If you’ve heard from the Lord, move forward into the unknown.”

We are such creatures of habit. We love the familiar. We trust the tried, true and tested and fear “new” and “different”. But if we are to believe that, as Christians, we’re not simply biding our time here on earth, awaiting a “chariot to carry us home”, but instead that God has invited us into an adventure of epic and eternal proportions — here, now, forever — then gripping the armchair of comfort is not choosing His best for us.

Do you believe that God wants to pull you out of the mundane? Can you dream with me for a second that “normal” is not God’s design for your few decades of earthly existence?

Stop. Listen closely. Be still. You can almost smell the aroma of heaven, inviting you into a story far greater than your wildest imaginations; a story of redemption, wholeness, victorious trials and intimate relationship with a king, creator and friend.

Your next decision beckons you homeward. Will you choose fear and security, or will you stand at the mountain’s edge and step off into the wild journey of faith? I pray you might move forward into the unknown.

Grapevine

Uphold The Law By Faith

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Grapevine

“Do we, then nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather we uphold the law.” -Romans 3:31

The Jewish nation has been religiously upholding biblical law for millenniums. Let’s just say, “they’re really good at it.”

The book of Romans talks about being freed from bondage to the law, which is great news for us gentile (non-jew), hippy people of “the way,” but poses some challenges for our rule-abiding jewish friends. I mean, if you’ve been following the law faithfully, and now everyone wants in without any work, you’d be a little miffed.

It’s for that reason that scripture gives so many illustrations of the Kingdom being offerred freely:

  • The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard [Matthew 20:1-16]
  • Ingrafted Branches [Romans 11:11-24]
  • The Parable of the Wedding Banquet [Matthew 22:1-14]

So as hoodlum gentiles, how do we uphold the law? We uphold the law by faith in Jesus; by realizing that apart from Christ, His holiness and sacrifice, we hold no claim to salvation or eternity in the Kingdom.

Our faith that God sent His begotten son, Jesus, to be our sacrificial lamb — our “Christ” (meaning “messiah”, or “savior and liberator of a group of people”) — declares that Jesus upheld the law and offered his perfection to us as a gift. After all, it’s God’s will that all should come to know Him [1 Timothy 2:4].

The fact that we trust Christ as the fulfillment of the law, for our sakes, reinforces that the law is important. It simply admits that, in our own strength, we are hopelessly inadequate to satisfy the law.

Application
Are there areas of your life that you are still clinging to works to ease the punishment deserved by your sin? Are you taking pride in your purity, church attendance, Bible knowledge or servanthood, thinking that makes you a “better person”? When was the last time you stopped to ponder your depravity and need for a savior?

“Father, forgive me for ways I try to work my way to You. I am nothing without You and rely completely on your gift of salvation. May my heart by convicted, that my faith would increase, so that Christ would be glorified and the law be upheld by my faith and reliance on His sacrifice. Teach me to offer grace freely and not judge based on works. To you be the glory, forever and ever, amen.”