An island native could not...
Illustration
An island native could not understand the practice of the captains of large, oceangoing vessels who claimed to steer by the stars. Quite obviously, it was necessary to guide one's boat along the shoreline and never lose sight of land. It was foolish, he thought, to believe that one could determine his position by looking through a strange glass at another world. In a sense we are guided, in our lives, by another world through the faith we place in Christ.
Faith in our Lord must be more than a common belief that he exists. Often we hear shallow meanings attached to "belief." Belief that there is a God who exists is hardly the life-changing faith called forth by Christ. If we were to ask a woman if she believed in her husband, he would get little support from her assertion that she believed he existed. What he craves to hear is an affirmation of support and commitment.
Our faith must also have its secure hold upon Christ as its worthy object. A news article reported that a Midwestern hospital had discovered that, after years of operation, their fire-fighting equipment had never been connected to the city water main. The pipe from the hospital went a few feet into the ground and stopped. For a long time, everyone had assumed the hospital to be adequately protected because of their elaborate system, but it had no supply. Faith without the firm anchor of Christ is powerless.
Faith in our Lord must be more than a common belief that he exists. Often we hear shallow meanings attached to "belief." Belief that there is a God who exists is hardly the life-changing faith called forth by Christ. If we were to ask a woman if she believed in her husband, he would get little support from her assertion that she believed he existed. What he craves to hear is an affirmation of support and commitment.
Our faith must also have its secure hold upon Christ as its worthy object. A news article reported that a Midwestern hospital had discovered that, after years of operation, their fire-fighting equipment had never been connected to the city water main. The pipe from the hospital went a few feet into the ground and stopped. For a long time, everyone had assumed the hospital to be adequately protected because of their elaborate system, but it had no supply. Faith without the firm anchor of Christ is powerless.
