Tuesday, June 6, 2017

Granny Will Save Me

Hebrews 11: 6 says, But without faith it is impossible to please Him, (God) for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
   This is telling us that faith is a really big thing to God.  When we have faith in Him, it pleases Him.  This week I got a small inkling of this kind of pleasure that God gets from our trust and faith in Him.  Three of my grandchildren were spending the evening with us while their mom and dad had a much-needed date night.
   Six-year-old Calvin was educating younger brother (three-year-old Elijah) about the horrors of ticks and tick bites.  He had watched a documentary about the scariest animals (mosquitos and ticks were at the top of the list).  He was quite descriptive about how the nasty little fiends latch on and don’t let go.  He made it sound like they never let go and you are now doomed.  Elijah didn’t bat an eye but proclaimed with complete confidence, “Granny will save me.”
   Sweet were the words, they melted my heart. And they were cute and funny.  I have chuckled each time I remember his confident words. But there was something else.  It pleased me that he had faith that Granny would save him from any nasty tick.  He sees me as a protector and deliverer, a safe place.
   This little episode reminded me that God is my protector, my deliverer, and my safe place of refuge from every trial, fear and enemy.  When faith rises to the surface and I trust God to see me thru a hard situation, or joy comes bubbling into my heart because I know with confidence that I am His child and He has redeemed me and has given me a place in His family, and when I am comforted by the truth of His love for me I know that these seedlings of faith rising up please my Heavenly Father.  That is what you call a win, win.
   Why do you suppose faith is such a big deal to God?  For one thing, if you are looking anywhere else besides Him it is useless wasted time and effort. The One True God knows there is no other god, no other power, no other wisdom.  Because of His love He wants us to come to the real One and only.   If you are trusting yourself, you are missing out on the strength and power and wisdom of the Creator of the universe.  God desires for us to have access to these things. 
    Jesus said in John 14:6 “I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father (God) except through Me.  Jesus is the access key. 
    I believe what Jesus said.  I choose to come to God through Jesus.  That is faith.  It pleases God.  I now have access to this Father who has power and wisdom and love.
   There are way more than nasty ticks out there to grab hold of us.  No matter how complicated life gets, no matter how disturbing the world news is, no matter what the enemy throws at me, with confidence I can say, “God will save me”. 

   Will things always turn out the way I want them to?  No, but I know that my soul is secure and I can say with assurance because of what Jesus Christ has done, God will save me.  You want to please God?  Have faith.  It truly is a win, win.