Solomon said: "Blessed be the Lord, who has given rest to His people Israel, according to all that He promised. There has not failed one word of all His good promise, which He promised through His servant Moses." 1 Kings 8:56
1. The OT shows us faith in action.
"How much more do I need to say? It would take too long to recount the stories of the faith of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and all the prophets.33 By faith these people overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice, and received what God had promised them. They shut the mouths of lions,34 quenched the flames of fire, and escaped death by the edge of the sword. Their weakness was turned to strength. They became strong in battle and put whole armies to flight.35 Women received their loved ones back again from death. But others were tortured, refusing to turn from God in order to be set free. They placed their hope in a better life after the resurrection.36 Some were jeered at, and their backs were cut open with whips. Others were chained in prisons.37 Some died by stoning, some were sawed in half, and others were killed with the sword. Some went about wearing skins of sheep and goats, destitute and oppressed and mistreated.38 They were too good for this world, wandering over deserts and mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground. 39 All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised.40 For God had something better in mind for us, so that they would not reach perfection without us." Heb 11:32-40 (NLT)
The Lord is everything, and they trusted in the Lord. They didn’t do so because of some radical force, but because they knew that the Lord is faithful. They trusted in that faith which is always there because the Lord cannot be unfaithful, cannot deny Himself.
2. Christians are called to trust in the Lord, even in the most extreme situations.
Choosing to be faithful to the Lord is equally important in the little things, and in the most difficult situations. The men, women, old and young people who every day choose to be faithful to the Lord, who live as martyrs, are an example to us. When we read in the newspapers about Christians who are persecuted in our own times we must take their lives as an encouragement to offer the Church everything we have, our whole livelihood.
In the Book of Daniel, the young Jewish men living as slaves of King Nebuchadnezzar remain faithful to the Lord, even at risk of their own lives.
In the Gospel of Luke, the destitute widow who puts two small coins into the offering box is praised by Jesus, who says: "Those others have all made offerings from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has offered her whole livelihood."
But let us also think about the many mothers and fathers who make small choices of faith every day, with their families and with their children. Let us ask the Lord for the grace of courage, the courage to go on with our Christian lives, in everyday life and in the most extreme situations.
3. God Himself has acted.
"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith." Romans 1:16-17
a) "The Son of God, by becoming flesh, summoned us to the revolution of tenderness".
"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." John 1:14
b) "Our infinite sadness can only be cured by an infinite love".
"For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him." John 1:17-18
c) "We achieve fulfillment when we break down walls and our heart is filled with faces and names!"
"And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'" Matt 25:40
"Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13
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