F as in fog.
It's a foggy morning here in the Upstate of South Carolina where I live.
Recently we have experienced beautifully clear autumn mornings. Today is completely different. We're fogged in today.
If you know someone dealing with a chronic illness or with cancer, you may have heard them talk about fog. Chemo fog. Fibro fog. Brain fog. The effects of the disease or of the medication to combat the disease may sometimes cloud their thinking.
Many are experiencing a kind of "election fog" as we make our way to November 8. There's confusion over who to vote for and what to make of the daily scandals. There's corruption everywhere we turn. We're weary of it all and just want to wake up from this bad dream. We feel like we're in a fog that won't lift!
We experience fog in all sorts of ways in life. Circumstances can fog up our thinking. So can attitudes. Or the way we spend time. Or the way we don't spend it.
Often our thinking gets foggy because of a lack of time spent in God's Word and in prayer. Because of a lack of time spent worshipping, both corporately and privately. Because of a lack of fellowship with other believers.
That kind of fog blocks our view. We can't see things clearly.
When we lived in the mountains, on most days there was a clear view of the mountains in front of our house. But on some days we couldn't see them at all. Fog obscured the view. I knew the mountains were there, but I couldn't see them. I knew there were trees in front of my house, but I couldn't see them. It's much the same here in our neighborhood this morning. I'm unable to see many of the trees I know are there.
That brings us to another "F" we need to consider. Faith.
The Bible tells us that "we walk by faith, not by sight." (2 Corinthians 5:7 ESV)
It's by faith that we trust, even when we can't see.
It's by faith that we believe in God, even though we can't see Him.
"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1 KJV)
Faith is being sure, even of things we cannot see.
Faith is believing in God. But it's also more than that. Faith is not only believing in God; faith is believing God.
Remember Abraham in the Old Testament? Abraham is a great example of faith.
Abraham believed God.
- Even when he didn't know where he was going, Abraham believed God and obeyed. "By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going." (Hebrews 11:8 ESV)
- Even when he didn't know how God's will would be accomplished. "By faith Sarah received power to conceive, even when she was past the age." (Hebrews 11: 11 ESV)
- Even when he didn't know when God would fulfill His promises. "The LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did to Sarah as He had promised. And Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age." (Genesis 21:1-2 ESV)
- Even when he didn't understand why. "By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son Isaac." (Hebrews 11:17 ESV)
Abraham believed God.
He believed His promises. Even when he didn't understand, he still believed.
That's faith.
Believing God.
Believing. And trusting that God knows best. That God has a plan and a purpose.
Even when we don't understand.
"Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." (Romans 4:3 NASB)
Faith is the victory! Faith is the victory!
O glorious victory, that overcomes the world.
O glorious victory, that overcomes the world.
(Yates/Sankey)
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