We’ve Come This Far by Faith

July 14, 2022

We are pretty much half way through the month. How did we get here? When did that happen? I was typing/posting yesterday and in that journal entry I stated that at five months: seven months to go suddenly seemed long (admittedly that day wasn’t the best day of my life). Fast forward two month later and it suddenly seems like there is not enough time to finish what I am to do.

But this much I can/will say: we’ve come this far by faith. And it’s definitely a “we” thing, well really a you thing as you did the heaving lifting. I hitched a ride and am not coming off. But I am thankful for everything that you have done so far. Thankful for the care that you’ve taken of me. Grateful for your undying, never-changing, awe inspiring love for me. For the record: you may have spoiled me and I’m probably gonna be expecting the same type of treatment from my spouse. Just saying. Don’t worry, I will treat them (mostly) the same – and it’s mostly because you are definitely number one and there you will remain.

Thank you for a new day in you, with you. Thank you for your amazing promises. Thank you for you. Where you have brought me from and where you are taking me. Though you’re still not letting me peep. And that’s not a complaint, just an observation. So I will chalk it up to: what you have planned must be epic!!!! Thank you for planning for us all. Thank you for this family. Thank you for this community. Thank you for this assignment in my church community. Thank you for your never-ending grace. Your favour. Your love. Thank you.

Justification by Faith

So justification. It’s not as far-fetched as it seems. The switch that is. “We’ve come this far by faith.” Earlier this week I had justification in my thoughts and then I remembered the partial scripture, “the just shall live by faith” and one of the things that I’m realising is that we can get so used to hearing a word that we’ve actually forgotten how to define it or what it truly means. In a way justification is like that for me.

Justification:

Dictionary: the action of showing something to be right or reasonable. The good reason for something that exists or has been done. The action of declaring or making righteous in the sight of God.

Bible: remission of sin and absolution from guilt and punishment. The act of grace by which Yahweh pardons the sinner and accepts them as righteous on account of the atonement of Christ.

Hence why we are justified by faith. We have to make that choice to believe in a God we cannot see. We have to believe in a Christ who does to save us. We have to believe. By that belief, we can be counted as righteous through Christ’s sacrifice.

2 Corinthians 5:7 – Indeed, our lives are guided by faith, not by sight.

Romans 1:17 – God’s approval is revealed in this Good News. This approval begins and ends with faith as Scripture says, “The person who has God’s approval will live by faith.”

We know how to live because of our relationship with Yahweh. While yes, the commandments are important, what is most important is doing what Yahweh desires of us. To know what Yahweh desires of us, we have to have a relationship with him. A personal, positive relationship. To have that relationship, we have to believe in him, i.e. have faith in him. Which is summarised by the words: “The just shall live by faith.”

Yes we “do” works. But that’s not what we live by.

I’m reminded of this other scripture:

Romans 5:3-4 – But that’s not all. We also brag when we are suffering. We know that suffering creates endurance, endurance creates character, and character creates confidence.

This scripture came to mind because of the sequence that is started by faith. And I have to smile because (of course) reading the scripture we have this additional verse to consider.

Romans 5:1-2 – Now that we have God’s approval by faith, we have peace with God because of what our Lord Jesus Christ has done. Through Christ we can approach God  and stand in his favor. So we brag because of our confidence that we will receive glory from God.

There is literally a sequence that is started when we believe/have faith. I like using both because faith can seem such a highfalutin, abstract thought, but faith is just (lol) believing in Yahweh as a Triune God who saves us from our sins. That’s it. It’s not complicated, but it does take a leap of faith (pun totally intended).

• Faith/Belief
• Personal Relationship (counted as righteous)
• Yahweh’s Approval on how to live (justification)?
• Suffering (btw, don’t be afraid of this word. It’s not all the time).
• Endurance
• Character
• Hope (sure foundation in which we base our lives that Yahweh will keep his promises).

At the end of: at the base of all this, holding everything up (or holding everything down, based on your perception) is grace. Which is offered freely by Yahweh. Without the acceptance of his grace, nothing else comes together. Our faith wouldn’t matter and you would not have hope in him.

And hope is not wishful thinking: like – I hope it doesn’t rain when I go to the beach. Hope is tied to Yahweh. Hope comes from the Hebrew word “qavah” which is literally a cord. A cord has one purpose: to bind. Our hope binds us to Yahweh. And because it’s not a “maybe this might happen,” but a solid foundation, “this is what Yahweh says.” Hope is not wishful thinking. There is confidence in our hope. We know.

Thank you for your grace that snowballed into faith unto relationship with you, into hope in you. Thank you for seeing us and loving us. Thank you for desiring relationship with us. It is only because of you I can say, “Thank you, I love you” so gonna say it. Thank you. I love you (to you and back).

Today feels like a Friday.

I swear the drivers who paid extra for their license came out for me this morning. Guess they didn’t know or they underestimate who is guarding me. One driver came out from a minor road without stopping or even looking. I had to mash hard brakes and also sounded my horn. The man (of course) started to cuss. He almost caused a three car pile up, but he’s the one quarrelling. Yahweh, be with them.

Sigh, this is why our young people want little to do with these middle aged and old folks in our church. The response from a 30-something year old was to disparage their ideas. The ideas were awesome.

I honestly don’t think I’ve gotten so mad in recent times. I don’t even know whether to laugh or cry. Yahweh, I/we need competent clerical staff. Documents that were to be sent out six month ago were never sent out and the officer’s statement to me is: oh, so we should send them out? Yes. Yes. They should be sent out. Yahweh, help us, please.