"...let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith..." Hebrews 12:1-2
What does it mean to say that Jesus is the "author and finisher of our faith"? I always thought it sounded good, but I am just only beginning to comprehend what it really means. "Author" - Jesus is the one who if you like, creates and writes our faith. We are not the ones who find it, He is the one that gives it to us. It is a fact that we often take for granted. Our faith is a gift, a wonderful gift, given to us by the great Giver. Just like He has given us the way back to God, He has also given us the faith to believe in Him and know Him. None of us should ever glory that we know and believe in Him, and be complacent about it, because our faith is not ourselves but given by God. And we need to continue to pray that He will continue to bless others who do not have that gift of faith with it, and that He will use us as He wills in that task.
"Finisher"- so often we try to move onwards in our spiritual lives, and fall flat on our faces, or do not end up anywhere, simply because we do not realise that Jesus who gives us our faith also perfects it, "finishes" it. Just like the author who begins his great work and brings it to a glorious completion; like a great painter who conceives his work, begins it and then finally perfects it. We can do nothing without Jesus. Without His guidance, we could not go; without His supply, we could not grow; without His grace, we could not live with all our terrible weaknesses and sins; without His strength, we could not accomplish; without Him, we are nothing. We can try and try to go on our own, but at the end of the day we will always find that He is the only one who can give us the kind of faith that our hearts so desire.
Truly there is so little that we can do! But for that we should really give thanks, for Jesus' kingdom is not of the flesh or of anything in this world, but of His spirit, His love, His grace. Isn't it comforting to know that even with all our weaknesses, shortcomings, failures and inadequacies, our Lord can still work in us to author and perfect our faith? That the focus is not on us, but on Him?
I find it so wonderful. And there is one thing that we can do- pray. We can ask Jesus humbly to work in our lives, to grow and perfect our faith. Are you feeling tired or frustrated? Or perhaps you are feeling misguided, or confused, or far away from Him? Don't worry, pray. Pray sincerely and ask Him to touch your life. The author of your faith is always waiting to write the next page in the story of your life. And when He does write, what a wonderful story it is!
What does it mean to say that Jesus is the "author and finisher of our faith"? I always thought it sounded good, but I am just only beginning to comprehend what it really means. "Author" - Jesus is the one who if you like, creates and writes our faith. We are not the ones who find it, He is the one that gives it to us. It is a fact that we often take for granted. Our faith is a gift, a wonderful gift, given to us by the great Giver. Just like He has given us the way back to God, He has also given us the faith to believe in Him and know Him. None of us should ever glory that we know and believe in Him, and be complacent about it, because our faith is not ourselves but given by God. And we need to continue to pray that He will continue to bless others who do not have that gift of faith with it, and that He will use us as He wills in that task.
"Finisher"- so often we try to move onwards in our spiritual lives, and fall flat on our faces, or do not end up anywhere, simply because we do not realise that Jesus who gives us our faith also perfects it, "finishes" it. Just like the author who begins his great work and brings it to a glorious completion; like a great painter who conceives his work, begins it and then finally perfects it. We can do nothing without Jesus. Without His guidance, we could not go; without His supply, we could not grow; without His grace, we could not live with all our terrible weaknesses and sins; without His strength, we could not accomplish; without Him, we are nothing. We can try and try to go on our own, but at the end of the day we will always find that He is the only one who can give us the kind of faith that our hearts so desire.
Truly there is so little that we can do! But for that we should really give thanks, for Jesus' kingdom is not of the flesh or of anything in this world, but of His spirit, His love, His grace. Isn't it comforting to know that even with all our weaknesses, shortcomings, failures and inadequacies, our Lord can still work in us to author and perfect our faith? That the focus is not on us, but on Him?
I find it so wonderful. And there is one thing that we can do- pray. We can ask Jesus humbly to work in our lives, to grow and perfect our faith. Are you feeling tired or frustrated? Or perhaps you are feeling misguided, or confused, or far away from Him? Don't worry, pray. Pray sincerely and ask Him to touch your life. The author of your faith is always waiting to write the next page in the story of your life. And when He does write, what a wonderful story it is!
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