The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It’s our handle on what we can’t see. The act of faith is what distinguished our ancestors, set them above the crowd.
By faith, we see the world called into existence by God’s word, what we see created by what we don’t see.
By an act of faith, Abraham said yes to God’s call to travel to an unknown place that would become his home. When he left he had no idea where he was going. By an act of faith he lived in the country promised him, lived as a stranger camping in tents. Isaac and Jacob did the same, living under the same promise. Abraham did it by keeping his eye on an unseen city with real, eternal foundations—-the City designed and built by God.
Each one of these people of faith died not yet having in hand what was promised, but still believing. How did they do it? They saw it way off in the distance, waved their greeting, and accepted the fact that they were transients in this world. People who live this way make it plain that they are looking for their true home. If they were homesick for the old country, they could have gone back any time they wanted. But they were after a far better country than that—-heaven country. You can see why God is so proud of them, and has City waiting for them.
Hebrews 11:1-3; 8-10; 13-16
What is Reality?
So, my sweet sisters, as we determine fact from fiction and real from imaginary, our focus on our journey to freedom is the cross of Christ. In His sufferings, Jesus became cursed so we would not. By design, it was impossible to keep the laws perfectly. It didn’t stop some from trying, though. No rule-keeping and no marks on our bodies could ever save us. It’s only by pure acceptance in faith and the belief that Jesus paid the price. Why do so many people still get lost if it’s so simple?
In Paul’s letter to Galatia, he asks questions. Who deceived you? What drugs are you on that you lost focus? Did you receive this free life by working yourselves silly keeping the law, or by faith?
We accept and believe in faith—-the fundamental trust that God is for us and that he shares his life with us. This essential trust works its way through all our relationships and perceptions. If we forget that, we lose touch with what is fundamental to reality. We fall victim to emotions, irrational thoughts, or memories that never stop plaguing our minds (the pit of emotion). When out of touch with reality, we find our journey pointless and turn to walk back down the easy gentle slope, back into the world’s hospital with all those who tell us it’s so much better this way.
A wrong idea of God leads to an incorrect response to life.
Can we actually complete what the Spirit started? Have we lost touch with reality? Where is the cross? The gospel introduces us to a new life. In that free life, we accept the life of God. God pours out his love for us. Receiving His life, love, and forgiveness causes a turnaround. But what next? What Paul is saying is, “Engage your heads. Common sense ought to keep you from abandoning the gospel of grace.” We don’t learn to walk, only to return to crawling! We remain rooted in the gospel and apply love, forgiveness, and grace to everyday life.
Was this in vain? This turnaround of ours? We changed our values when we decided to go back up the hill against the grain over the rough and rocky terrain. Along the journey, we have changed our sense of right and wrong; people are more important than property, forgiveness better than revenge, and worshiping God is more central than looking cool to others. If we lose touch with our values, we are at the mercy of the wind as it blows. If we lose touch, all our efforts are in vain. Stick to the course.
If we lose touch with our values, we are at the mercy of the wind as it blows.
“Does He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by the law or by hearing with faith?” These questions Paul asks are pretty spot on! Whose reality are we in touch with? The truth of the Gospel puts us in touch with a God who richly supplies. Are we in touch with the God of all abundance, the God of plenty? We must never forget this on our journey, lest we become insane, trip over a bunch of boulder-lies, fall straight into the pit of emotion, give up and walk back into the world’s hospital. If we lose touch with God-reality, we live poorly. God is a vast reservoir of blessing who supplies abundantly.
A wrong idea of God leads to an incorrect response to life. If we think that God is stern and angry, we live frightened. If we believe he is miserly and stingy, we feel short-changed. If we assume God is impersonal and abstract, we live aimlessly and trivially. How often do we live scared, deprived, ignored, and insignificant?
God supplies; He overflows with blessing and salvation. We cannot earn this. We must keep this as our reality. On our Journey of freedom, this reality holds us on the path. When the way seems impossible, we have a gospel that sets us free to think, and in thinking, it develops a rich and robust sanity in us.
Sisters, my fellow sojourners, we are sane! The world may tell us otherwise, but through our faith in Jesus Christ, we are sane and in touch with reality.