Active Belief
I like to think I am the master of my own destiny, and yet I look to be saved from myself as well.
Take care, brothers and sisters, that none of you may have an evil, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called 'today,' so that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partners of Christ, if only we hold our first confidence firm to the end. As it is said, 'Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.' Now who were they who heard and yet were rebellious? Was it not all those who left Egypt under the leadership of Moses? But with whom was he angry forty years? Was it not those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, if not to those who were disobedient? So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief. - Hebrews 3:12-19
In today's reading, we are told straight out that we are responsible for our actions, and our decisions matter.
We choose to believe or disbelieve, and that choice has lasting consequences.
Belief is an action verb. It propels us to do the right thing toward one another, with love and confidence. Jesus made that clear when he told us there was only one commandment to love God and love one another.
So, if we are true believers, we show it in our actions.
It is not the actions that make us holy, but the holiness within that leads us to act.
Everyone has doubts from time to time, but our doubts don't ave to keep us from believing. They can reinforce our faith by calling us to question and seek answers.
That is why we come together in worship and study. Together, we can help restore our faith, and in coming to know and love one another, we discover the beauty of being right with God.
No one who has come face-to-face with God fails to believe. So maybe we need to actively seek God in others. That way we can strengthen our belief, knowing God is real and present in those we encounter.
After all, we are made in God's image. We should be able to recognize Him in one another, right?
So, choose to believe actively. Be a seeker and go find God in someone. It may just change your life.
More to come...