Growing Faith

Reading Time: 6 Minutes

Daylight means safe walking.

John 11.7-9 – Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.”

8 The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now trying to stone you, and are you going there again?”

9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Those who walk during the day do not stumble, because they see the light of this world. 10 But those who walk at night stumble, because the light is not in them.”

Jesus almost got killed the last time he was in Judea (John 10.31-39). The disciples were aware of this and were justified in their reluctance to go there again.

Jesus’ response can be expanded like this: “Daylight is safe walking. God’s will is even clearer than daylight. The clear will of God more than cancels all other dangers.”

Psalm 56 gives expression to the fact that walking in the light of God’s will is the safest place of all. The psalmist writes,

“In God, whose word I praise,
in the Lord, whose word I praise,
in God I trust; I am not afraid.
What can a mere mortal do to me?” (Psalm 56.10-11)

Let’s remind ourselves that God created the entire universe with his word. God’s word is creative and it is his direction for our lives. It is his way of giving us the daylight to know where to safely walk.

As we walk in the light of the Lord, we join the Apostle Paul and say, “If God is for us, who is against us?” (Romans 8.31).

Times of testing strengthens our faith.

John 11.11-16 – After saying this, he told them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going there to awaken him.”

12 The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will be all right.”

13 Jesus, however, had been speaking about his death, but they thought that he was referring merely to sleep.

14 Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. 15 For your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”

16 Thomas, who was called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”

In verse 15, Jesus said, “For your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe.” The disciples already believed, as was demonstrated by their following Jesus every day of their lives. Yet, there was another level of faith that Jesus desired Mary, Martha, Lazarus and his disciples to experience.

We never reach a “finished product” state of faith. Faith is an always a living trust of God’s love and goodness.

I say this to myself fairly often, “If I believe God has my best interests in mind, and if I believe he loves me with a love that can only be given by God, and if I believe he has all power to accomplish what I need in life, then why don’t I follow his directions all the time?”

Does Jesus want to take us to another level of faith during the corona virus period of time? The answer is “absolutely yes.” But not just this period of time, God wants to deepen our faith at all times in our lives.

Thomas shows us the path to deeper faith.

Thomas told his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him” (verse 16).

No matter what Thomas meant by his statement, one thing is clear. He was ready to follow Jesus, even if it meant losing his life.

Let’s remember my Hebrew professor’s definition of faith from yesterday’s article. “When we don’t know what God is doing and when he seems to be silent, faith is continuing to walk with him no matter what.”

Like Thomas, the disciples, my Hebrew professor and multitudes more, faith is developed by continuing to follow Jesus’ directions even when things are confusing and difficult.

Your Turn

Look to Jesus in prayer today. Tell him plainly that you know he loves you with the kind of love that only God can give people. Tell him that you know he has all power and ability to accomplish anything that is needed. Tell him that you know he has your very best interests in mind. Now, ask him to help you walk through this time in your life hand-in-hand with him.

Today’s Prayer

Dear Jesus, we know you love us and have our very best interests in mind. We also know that you have all power to accomplish anything that is needed. Please help us to walk with you and follow your directions at this time in our lives.