Heroes of Faith

Think about your heroes in the Bible. Seriously, and no you can’t pick Jesus for this exercise. (That is cheating.) Who is it? Peter, the rock which the church is built upon? Is it King David? Ruth? Paul? Moses? Noah?

Ruth amazes me. Her obedience is not generally considered “heroic” by most. However, when obedience is a stumbling block, she is our own Biblical Wonder Woman. As much as I admire Ruth, I tend to look at Peter and King David as the heroes. They both accomplished amazing things in the name of God. Sometimes the amazing things they did blind us to all the very human ways they messed up.

Peter denied Christ, not once but three times…all in the same night. He was part of the innermost circle and he still denied knowing Christ because he was fearful. King David was a murdering, adulterer…not exactly what people expected of the boy who killed Goliath with a rock and sling. Not exactly what we go too when we think of someone being a man after God's own heart. Keep in mind the variety of things done by your heroes – not to diminish them, but to put God in clearer perspective.

When I read the “whiny” Psalms I feel drawn to David. (Think of Psalm 31 – psalm of complaint and praise). I tend to whine, vent or whatever you want to call it to “get it out of my system” then I start putting it in the perspective of God and his unending mercy. David pulled the whole why me in many of the Psalms but he ended with calling up on his faith in and his love for his Heavenly Father. To me this reflects Mark 9:24, “I believe, help, my unbelief.” David the shepherd and later as King, talked to God. He was real with God. That is what sticks out to me in many of the Psalms I read.

We KNOW what God is capable of. We have historical accounts of God using drunks, murderers, and adulterers, those who doubted and were disobedient. He used them for his purpose. You know the saying, “God does not call the equipped, he equips the called”. It is true and we see it in the bible.

Faith Comes from Hearing

Romans 10:17 states, “So faith comes from hearing that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.” When we dive into the Word we find the gems. These less than flattering truths about our biblical heroes. We are strengthened when we see how God uses those imperfect people for his perfect purpose. It is in those moments  we realize that we too fit into God’s plan.

In Revelation 12:11 we are told, “And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony. And they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die.” We defeat the enemy by the word of our testimony. David’s psalms where he seems to be complaining is his testimony of where he was and how God delivered him. That is the power in our testimonies. The same is true of reading our Bible and seeing how our Biblical heroes overcame. They walked in victory when they walked in obedience with God. When they looked away from God, say toward a woman in a bathtub, they flounder, falter and give in to temptation.

You Are Who You Look Too

Remember learning to drive? You have to look over the hood ornament at the center of your lane to stay centered in your lane when driving. (For those too young to remember hood ornaments, ask your parents.) You drive toward what you are looking at. The same is true when we say keep your eye on the ball. Spiritually, who are your eyes on? Yes, we have to keep our eyes on Jesus, but each of us look to peers or leadership for guidance.  These people that we look up too say something about who we are and the character we yearn to cultivate in ourselves. Proverbs 27:17 tells us that iron sharpens iron. In parenting terms...you are who you hang out with.

We reflect elements of our heroes and peers in our lives. These are our #GOALS. I want the strength and tenacity of my Mom and my Aunt Carolyn. I want my Mom’s unbridled honesty. I want my Dad’s patience and his ability to treat everyone with the same respect…preacher or prisoner, celebrity or vagrant. I want the gracious, loving and thankful heart of my Granny Wheeler. I want the servant's heart of my Granny and Papa Duke. I want the fierce faith of Momma Joi. I want the fire and unabashed boldness of my friend Jeanette. I do not want to be these people, I want to learn from them. I want to yield myself to the Creator to mold me into the best version of me with these elements sprinkled in to best fulfill my purpose…my calling for His purpose.

Maybe your calling is a bit of a mystery, mine is. Maybe you think you could never be a missionary, preach a sermon, or evangelize on the street to societies castaways. God will equip us to do his purpose. It does not matter if our resume shows us capable – we are capable through Christ.

Cambodia Bound

As the clock winds down approaching Cambodia, my excitement builds. Sometimes I get distracted by the random “am I really ready” or “can I do this”. The truth is, I can’t do it on my own. God is going to make me capable in this and every task. My sisters and brothers in Christ lift me up and strengthen me. They help me keep my eyes on God, instead of looking down or looking back.

I am still working to raise the last of my funds for the mission trip. $685 is all that is left to raise. I do not know where it is coming from and frankly, I can't explain how I have raised what I have so far. It has all been God, because every fundraiser I tried has flopped. God has brought me this far, he will see me the rest of the way through. This process has already caused growth, I can only imagine what will happen once the trip begins.

I am becoming infinitely more aware that some are looking to me to be an example. As my children grew I did not excel in that territory, but I am still setting an example today. I can provide gentle correction - guidance to make better choices. To look to the right source, the only source for answers. Cambodia means break through for me. It may not be a "Damascus Road" encounter, but I believe there is something just beyond my grasp, just beyond what I can envision. Something I cannot put into words about to unfold in my life. I pray for everyone to have the same expectation. Break through is coming. Revival is coming. I am on the cusp of something new in my faith and I can't wait to see what God has in store.