The Basis of Faith

Reflections for this date are based on the following scripture passages:
Hebrews 10	Hebrews 11	Exodus 13	Exodus 14	Psalms 27

What is required to cause us to trust fully in the Lord? If we witnessed a great miracle at the Lord's hand would that be enough for us to trust Him fully? Luke chapter 16 gives an account of Jesus instructing those who gathered to listen to Him. The Scribes and Pharisees were also in the crowd scoffing and ridiculing Jesus in what He was saying. Knowing that the Pharisees were "lovers of money," Jesus told a parable of a poor man named Lazarus and a rich man who hoarded his riches, offering no aid to the poor man who sat daily at his gate. Eventually the two died and Lazarus was in heaven because of his faith and the rich was in hell due to his lack of faith.

From hell, the rich man could see into heaven, and seeing Abraham with Lazarus at his side he called out to Abraham to have mercy and send Lazarus to "dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this flame!" Abraham explained that this was impossible and so the rich man asked Abraham to send Lazarus to his brothers who were still living to warn them of this place of torment. Abraham told him, "They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them. 'No, father Abraham,' he said. 'But if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.' "But he told him, 'If they don't listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be persuaded if someone rises from the dead.'"

Jesus told this parable in part to make the point that the rich are not guaranteed heaven while the poor are doomed to hell. But Jesus also was making the point that miracles, while they might aid belief, do not guarantee belief. A great example of this is found in Exodus chapter 14. After ten devastating plagues brought on Egypt by the Lord to convince Pharoah to let the Israelites leave the country, the Israelites were finally on their way to the land God had promised them. As they traveled, the Lord was with them, going before them in a "pillar of cloud" by day and a "pillar of fire" by night. This pillar of fire actually giving them light by which to see at night.

If miracles are an assurance of faith, the Israelites' faith should have been unwavering. But what happened when the people realized Pharoah was in pursuit of them with his army? They were terrified and complained to Moses that he had merely led them to the desert to die. They were ready to capitulate and go back to serving the Egyptians. But in the midst of this complaining and crying out to the Lord for help, the Lord said to Moses, "Why are you crying out to Me? Tell the Israelites to break camp. As for you, lift up your staff, stretch out your hand over the sea, and divide it so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground."

Being a witness to the Lord performing miraculous events does not prevent us from shriveling up in fear when danger comes. This is possible only with a close walk with the Lord in which we bask in His presence and experience His peace and are filled with His Spirit and His courage. And with this God-given courage comes the time not only to seek the Lord's help but to move out in action based on faith. As the Lord said to Moses, "Why are you crying out to Me?" It was time for them to break camp, for Moses to stretch out his hand over the sea, and for them to walk through the sea.