Living Lessons on PrayerSample

As I began to grow in knowing God, I found it easier to step out and take some risks to see if God really was reliable. I love the scene in Indiana Jones, The Last Crusade, where Indy is about to cross the chasm to find the chalice. He has made it through some obstacles; he has his notes and clues. He looks fearfully at the deep canyon below as he ponders those clues. At last, he steps out by faith into the void and his foot hits a rock bridge. Now his perspective changes and he can see the hidden bridge that is completely reliable to hold him up. Like Indiana Jones, as I began “proving” God’s reliability, I walked to the edge of all the light I had—and took one more step. I’m sure that Indiana Jones felt as scared and crazy as we do when we first step out from the places we can see and touch and explain, past the edge of light we have, taking one more step and relying completely on the unseen and unexplainable. 

We cannot take that one more step without in some way knowing and depending on the object of our faith to be there with that first step into the unknown. That dependence only needs to be the size of a mustard seed (extremely small) in order to take that first step. As I learned to trust Him and stepped out with some baby steps, God kept His word and I found Him to be absolutely reliable. 

Each new step of faith I took, the more I knew God, the more I trusted Him.1 In the same way you would not trust a stranger to take your child for ice cream, it’s difficult to trust God if you don’t know Him. But you will trust a close friend with your child. Each little step I took that proved His faithfulness built my understanding of who He is. It became easier to trust Him and see how “faith is assurance and evidence” because I kept growing in how well I knew the One who is asking for my trust.

When one takes that first step of faith and finds the object of faith (God) there and dependable in the small steps, then God will take those baby steps that we make and grow our dependence with greater steps of faith. Salvation, believing that Jesus will save me if I ask Him to, may be our first step of faith, but the rest of our lives, as we have seen from the verses above, we will take other first steps in different areas. I saw that happen as I grew in knowing God and understanding more about myself. He has walked me through bigger and more difficult places to step out and believe Him in spite of the material evidence. Eventually I came to understand that Faith is a Person, Jesus Himself. I didn’t really need “more” faith, I just needed to know Him who is my faith. Faith is tangible because He lives in me; He is reliable, and I know He keeps His word. I’ve settled my definition of faith to be something like this: “Faith is saying and acting on whatever God says about something—and whatever means whatever.”

Application: 

When, like Indiana Jones, you find yourself needing to trust God—be brave, take a chance, step out into what may feel unknown and frightening. Through prayer, learn His voice and what He is like. I know you will find Him faithful.