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SCRIPTURE READINGS

HABAKKUK 2:1-4

2 TIMOTHY 1:1-14

LUKE 17:5-10

SUNDAY REFLECTION

The theme for our Sunday reflection is, “Have faith in the Lord”. Faith is complete trust or confidence in God. Hebrews 11:1 further explains faith as “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen”. In other words for believers to have a relationship with God, we must have complete trust, assurance and conviction that leads us to say with Job that “I know that my redeemer lives and that in the end, he will stand on the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh, I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes —I, and not another. (Job 19:25-27) Having faith in the Lord makes us know Him and have an everlasting relationship with Him. It is for this reason Hebrews assures us again that “…without faith, it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him” (Hebrews 11:6) Beloved in the Lord we shall proceed to deliberate on three benefits of having faith in the Lord according to the three scripture readings chosen for our reflection. The benefits of having faith in the Lord are:

1. Having faith in the Lord enables us to live in the midst of a rotten and fallen society
2. Having faith enables us to be good stewards of the Gospel and our spiritual gifts.
3. Having faith enables us to do what is humanly impossible.

Firstly, Having faith in the Lord enables us to live amid a rotten and fallen society. The Prophet Habakkuk questioned God about the fate of the righteous at the time when the wicked and ungodly seem to prosper. God answered him that a day will come when the nation will be judged but “the righteous shall live by his faith” (Habakkuk 2:4). Dear friend in the Lord, do not be lured by the deeds of the ungodly because faith in the Lord has brought you nothing but hardship and challenges while others who are corrupt keep increasing in wealth and power. The temptation to compromise one’s faith in a sinful and fallen society or generation is very strong but we have been greatly encouraged through the Prophet Habakkuk that God will surely judge ungodliness and evil and the righteous shall live by their faith. It is, for this reason, we are greatly assured by the Psalmist that “I will not die but live, and will proclaim what the LORD has done. The LORD has chastened me severely, but he has not given me over to death. Open for me the gates of the righteous; I will enter and give thanks to the LORD. This is the gate of the LORD through which the righteous may enter. I will give you thanks, for you answered me; you have become my salvation.” (Psalms 118:17-21)

Secondly, having faith in the Lord enables us to be good stewards of the Gospel and the spiritual gifts given to us for our edification and effective ministry. It was for this reason, Paul admonished Timothy, his spiritual son and young minister, “What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.” (2 Timothy 1:13-14). Beloved in the Lord, without faith in the Lord, we shall become nominal Christians or church attendees. Without faith in the Lord, we shall compromise the Gospel, our spiritual gifts and responsibilities. Having faith in the Lord enables us to understand the value of the sound teachings of Christ and our respective roles or ministries in the church. We teach what we believe and believe what we teach about Christ our saviour, therefore, having faith in the Lord enables us to be good stewards of the sound teachings and spiritual responsibilities handed over to us as leaders, disciples and Christians. To sustain our faith, we are to continually study the Word of God to know His will and in every given situation know what to teach in preserving the unadulterated Gospel of Christ.

Thirdly, Having faith in the Lord enables us to do what is humanly impossible. The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.” (Luke 17:5-6) In other words, Jesus assures them that if they have faith they will be able to perform wonders and miracles. Beloved in the Lord, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26). It is rather sad that some Christians in our generation have faith in human beings such as their pastors, prophets and spiritual leaders rather than God. Many people continue to be manipulated by fake men and women who claim they are under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit while under the influence of some other spirit. In Ghana, a young lady who was preparing for nursing school was brutally murdered by a fake pastor and another man and secretly buried in the room of one of the accomplices. There are countless examples of people taking undue advantage of women in the name of faith and spirituality. No human being can deliver another human being. All these people are limited but God is unlimited, they are finite but God is infinite. Having faith in the Lord will enable ordinary men and women to do extraordinary things. Beloved in the Lord, regardless of your frustration and worries in life be a man or woman of faith, “Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.” (Psalms 55:22)

In summary, we have identified three benefits of having faith in the Lord: faith in the Lord enables us to live regardless of the challenges in our time, faith in the Lord enables us to be good and worthy stewards of the Gospel and spiritual things, last but not the least, faith in the Lord enables ordinary people to do extraordinary things. May the Holy Spirit strengthen our faith to be able to live a victorious life to the glory of the Lord. Amen.