Faith or Dreaming?

I wonder if Abraham was called a "dreamer" by his family and friends. You could probably safely assume that a lot of the heroes of the faith were considered dreamers.

Consider even those that came and went since the close of Scripture.

Martin Luther has probably been called many things throughout the years. Imagine a guy so bold as to stand defiantly before some of the people he did.

I guess the truth is, in the worlds eyes, there's not much distinction between true faith and either reckless boldness/foolishness, or insanity.

And yet God calls us to a bold faith. But at the same time we aren't to presume upon Him. It's a fine line.

I know for me, oftentimes I'm wimpy and shallow in my faith. Yet other times, it's like that quote I mentioned a few posts ago from Signs. If the ball is coming at me, it doesn't feel right not to swing.

I guess it can lead to a lot of strike outs.

But when we look at the hall of faith in Hebrews 11, we see proverbial home run after home run.

And as the author transitions to chapter 12, they begin by pointing back to so great a cloud of witnesses.

So I think then that in a sense the key verse is Hebrews 11:6:

"And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him."

And of course it starts with the gift of saving faith (Ephesians 2:8-9).

But we're called to walk by faith as well. And how that looks day in and day out, I'll be honest, can be a struggle at times.

We're not called to a let go and let God attitude, where we sit back and do nothing. Yet we're also not supposed to just take the bull by the horns and not rely on God in any way.

I'm not sure where I'm going with all of this, and I understand that those in the hall of faith lived their lives never fully experiencing the promises. Their faith would be made sight, as will ours one day.

I'll close with a story I heard about Charles Spurgeon. Whenever he would walk to the steps to the pulpit to preach, on each step he would say "I believe in the Holy Spirit".

It wasn't as if he stopped for a 15 minute prayer every step, and he didn't go up there without any preparation, both his own as well as in prayer.

Sometimes I suppose we have to put our neck out there, trusting that God has us. It may not be the outcome we expect or desire, but if we truly are living faithfully and obediently, it will be the right outcome.