Faith Works

I'll never forget the last day of swimming lessons: each person was expected to jump from the diving board into deep water then swim to the side of the pool.  I might as well have been on a pirate ship and walking the plank! It's been said "a ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are for." God's greatest lessons of faith come when we leave the safety of the shore ... our comfort zone.  What if Noah had refused to build the ark?  What if Abraham had ignored God's call and stayed in Haran?  What if Moses had remained shaking in his sandals instead of leading God’s people to freedom?  In every situation, there was faith-at-work, faith that didn’t stand still but took obedient action.  All men exercised their faith; they walked “by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7).  Noah built an ark [as the world laughed at him], Abraham left Haran [without a clue where he was going], and Moses traded tending stubborn sheep for leading [stubborn] people.  Well, I jumped into the deep water, swam to the side of the pool and earned Tadpole status. When we let faith do its work, we demonstrate to the world just how great God is.  A working faith is more than head-and-heart knowledge; it’s more than just believing.  It is putting faith into practice -- taking risks and trusting God for the results.  Faith works ... why not just work it!