(ThyBlackMan.com)
Romans 1:17 CSB
For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, just as it is written: The righteous will live by faith.
Behold, a mower went out to mow his lawn a little while before night, and alas, he had not finished. However, he continued to mow his grass in the dark against the dim half-crescent moonlight that shone, and a nearby streetlight. To his dismay, he realized his lack of vision would hinder the aesthetic of the yard, yet he knew he needed to finish. He pressed on. Ultimately guided by his sense of pride, he squinted to follow the tracks in the dark that his mow was leaving, to not mow over the same area twice. After a while, he settled on the hope that even with lack of visibility he would be able to see a nice manicured lawn in the morning.
Now, one would think this describes someone as having faith, but a blind sort of faith. After all, the Scriptures are true: “We walk by faith, not by sight”. Yet, when you really look at this narrative, you’ll be reminded that the mower had no guarantee by which to anchor his hopes and “faith”. He possessed nothing besides belief in his own waning vision and focus to maintain the mowing process. This man’s faith was truly blind, and in actuality, it wasn’t faith at all, but merely wishful thinking.
Biblical faith does go beyond reason, and vision is true, but it isn’t anchored on the inward wishful thinking of the believer. There’s something, Someone, by which the believer can anchor his belief in. To the degree that even if he is unaware of how, or when the belief will come to pass, he is yet determined to trust, though he cannot see. How, you may ask, because his faith isn’t in himself or casual wishing, but in a God who Promises. A God who anchors His Promises in Himself, and however lofty and high the promises may be, He is personable enough to assure you and guide you to their fulfillment. Therefore, be not content or satisfied with Blind weightless faith, because there is a Faith that goes beyond vision but yet is given by Him who sees all, knows all, and will lovingly bring you to faith’s realization.
Furthermore, I should say, my faith isn’t blind at all. Now one could think, “What would give the mower the certainty needed to ensure he would not stumble or make errors in darkness?” The answer is light. The Sun shining would give the mower all he needed to guarantee he didn’t miss a blade of grass. So speaking about faith, many have the idea that faith is the opposite of sight, because of the declaration that it is “evidenced in things not seen.” However, the contrary is true: Faith is sight! It is said of Moses, “By faith…he endured, seeing Him who is invisible.” Faith sees! It sees God! As humans, we’re not able to fathom the wisdom of God in how He decides to do a thing and bring his promises to pass. Often we are in disarray, mentally, within the bounds of human reason, in trying to grasp or ascertain what God is doing. However, faith, not hampered by human understanding, or chained by mental acquisition, pushes beyond these limitations and sees a God who cannot lie, and neither does He repent; a God who has sworn by His own “Godness” that He will bring what He says to pass.
This is a faith that knows no bounds. A limitless faith that while in our human frame may not grasp the totality of God’s working yet isn’t blind to the fact that He IS working. This is a faith that though, I may not be able to see, it sees, because it is inspired by God Himself. Romans 10:17 states, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” My faith is produced by the very word of God and is therefore inextricably connected to Him.
If He didn’t say it, I wouldn’t have any grounds to believe it or hold God to it, but because He said it; because he Promised, my faith has reason to obligate God to what He said. Therefore beloved, we can trust God, because our faith puts a demand on the performance of His word, because it sees Him able to do what He Promised.
Staff Writer; C. E. Davis
This man of God can also be found online over at; InfiniteTruth Devotion.
One may also drop an email: CEDavis@ThyBlackMan.com.