Colossians 2: 11-12

In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.

I stopped when I read this explanation by Paul.  Do I REALLY believe?   The word says that I am raised by means of my faith in God’s power.  How do I know I believe?  Maybe I’m just saying that I believe, but I really don’t?

Do you ever think like that?  I was helped this morning in considering these doubts, because they forced me to reason with myself.  My mind recalled a truth

  • Christ is the author of my faith (Hebrews 12:2) which means that HE initiated it.  It is not something I was born with.  Faith does not reside in me naturally.  It is a gift.  It is something planted in me.

So, if there is even a teeny bit of faith, faith exists.  If forced at sword’s point to admit whether or not I have faith….ONLY those 2 choices, would I really say I have NO faith?  Not if I’m honest. So the existence of even a mustard-seed-size faith (Luke 17:6) qualifies as faith.

The next truths that came to mind were

  • My faith does not have to be extensive to be effective.  The blind men cried out after Jesus, Son of David, Have Mercy on us (Matt 9:27).  Jesus must have given them an affirming glance to encourage the faith that they offered, for the Word continues, When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?”     “Yes, Lord,” they replied.  Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith will it be done to you”; and their sight was restored. (verses 28,29)
  • God will encourage our faith as we exercise it.  Their first use of faith was when they spoke to Jesus.  He led them on to firmer, more expansive faith and rewarded them with the gift of sight.

So, do we have to do anything, besides USE our faith? Well, continuing with the agricultural theme of a mustard seed, we can use common sense and realize that seeds need the sun to make them grow.  My part in growing the faith God has planted in me is to seek out sunlight.  The more I dwell in the kingdom of light with my conscious thoughts, the more I encourage my little seedling of faith to grow into a huge robust tree of faith with branches strong enough to encourage others and myself.  The more I read and study to know Him, the more I desire and pray to love Him, the more I will trust what He says.

The bottom line for me this morning was the security I felt when I realized that I, Maria, am not the source of my faith.  Once God has given me His faith, it is Christ’s job to help me grow my faith.  Hebrews 12: 2 not only calls Christ the author of my faith, but the perfecter or finisher of my faith.

Be calm and rest, O my soul.  You are in good hands. You HAVE been raised with Christ.  Your citizenship is in heaven.  You have a good inheritance waiting you.  And no less than the son of God has taken responsibility to make sure my faith is strong enough to be effective.