A long time ago when I was still a boy--or maybe a boy who was thinking about becoming a man---I went to some kind of camp or weekend retreat down at Epworth-by-the-Sea, a United Methodist Center on St. Simon's Island. I remember one of the leaders talked about faith in Christ. His visual aid was a chair in the middle of our circle. He pointed out that when we are tired, we just sit down without asking if the chair will hold us up, or fall apart when we put our weight in it. He reminded us that we do not check out the chair ahead of time, nor do we sit down cautiously wondering if the chair is solid. "Faith in Jesus is like sitting in a chair."
Certainly, it is a simple image and definition about a word which scholars and inspirational leaders have written volumes. Though simple, I have remembered and even borrowed his image in some teaching of my own over the years. All this came back the other day as I plopped down hard on a sofa after a hard tiring day of work here on the farm. As I fell into that sofa, I thought about my teacher whose name I have long since forgotten.
Actually, the things in which we believe are the things that hold us up. Faith in Christ is certainly one of the things which has the power to hold us up and to keep our life from collapsing like a pile of broken sticks on the floor. Again and again, He has proven Himself dependable to be who the Word of God declares Him to be. The older I am privileged to become, the more I realize that Jesus is utterly trustworthy. He is the One upon whom I can rest. He is the One upon whom I can put the full weight of my life. He is the One who will never let me down. I have seen a chair or two collapse and send its sitter to the floor, but such will never happen to you and me as we put our trust in Jesus. Never.
Certainly, it is a simple image and definition about a word which scholars and inspirational leaders have written volumes. Though simple, I have remembered and even borrowed his image in some teaching of my own over the years. All this came back the other day as I plopped down hard on a sofa after a hard tiring day of work here on the farm. As I fell into that sofa, I thought about my teacher whose name I have long since forgotten.
Actually, the things in which we believe are the things that hold us up. Faith in Christ is certainly one of the things which has the power to hold us up and to keep our life from collapsing like a pile of broken sticks on the floor. Again and again, He has proven Himself dependable to be who the Word of God declares Him to be. The older I am privileged to become, the more I realize that Jesus is utterly trustworthy. He is the One upon whom I can rest. He is the One upon whom I can put the full weight of my life. He is the One who will never let me down. I have seen a chair or two collapse and send its sitter to the floor, but such will never happen to you and me as we put our trust in Jesus. Never.
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