SWORD OF THE SPIRIT                                                                                               1194

“Faith is a Choice”

All the congregation of the people of Israel moved on from the wilderness … and camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. Therefore, the people quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.” … So, Moses cried to the Lord, “What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me.” And the Lord said to Moses, “Pass on before the people, taking with you some of the elders of Israel, and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink.” And Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel. – Exodus 17:1-6

The Lord miraculously delivered the people out of Egypt and provided for them manna and quail when there was no food to eat. He made the bitter water safe to drink when they were thirsty. Yet with each new trial and difficulty the people chose to grumble against Moses and lost sight of their foundation of faith. We must not be too quick to judge these people, saying ‘If I had been there, I surely would have trusted God to provide’. I believe that most, if not all of us would have fallen into the ‘lack of faith’ camp during these trials.

For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. – Romans 12:3

Faith is a choice to trust God even when the road ahead is uncertain.

And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains. – Matthew 24:6-8

The road ahead is indeed uncertain: war in the Ukraine, inflation, COVID on the rise again, wildfires and a severe drought in the west, mass shootings in public places, Russia threatening nations against joining NATO, a critical need for baby formula, frequent tornados, and severe weather extremes. On a personal level our road ahead may be uncertain due to physical illness or loss.

He said to them, “Where is your faith?” And they were afraid, and they marveled, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him?” – Luke 8:25

Jesus asks us the same question today, “Where is your faith?” God has given each of us a foundational measure of faith and it is our choice to build upon that foundation as the Lord takes us through trial after trial in life. These are called faith builders and we would do well to reflect upon and remember all that the Lord has delivered us from and taken us through.

May you learn to choose faith over fear when faced with new trials in this life. Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen; for we walk by faith, not by sight. – Hebrews 11:1; 2 Corinthians 5:7