“For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith.” (Hebrews 4:2, NIV84)
It’s called “a leap of faith” for a reason. There comes a time in your life when you have to decide if you will take that leap of faith, believe with your whole heart even if you don’t have all the answers. When a woman falls in love, she is taking a leap of faith. She cannot know 100% if her object of interest has the same feelings or what the future may hold. When a person does something new, they take a leap of faith that it will be safe. For example, a person who skydives takes a leap of faith that the parachute will open and that the physics behind that choice is sound. The person could be wrong.
So many things in life take a leap of faith. Some people make that leap. Some are too afraid to have faith. Some are overly rational, and will fight any leap of faith, and thus will limit themselves to only what they can perceive with their limited senses. Some people, after being damaged by a leap of faith in someone, will have a hard time taking a leap of faith again…. even with God. Leaps of faith are incredibly common in the world, contrary to what people of science will tell you. It takes a leap of faith to believe that breathable air is in a room. You can’t see the oxygen and nitrogen content. You can’t see noxious fumes. You don’t know if methane gas has driven out the air in a room. You assume the air in the next room is breathable. Yet, you think nothing of taking that leap of faith and going from room to room and breathing. When you drive down the road, you don’t know if you will have an accident. You can do everything in your power to protect yourself and keep your family safe, but driving a car takes a leap of faith. You don’t know if someone will fall asleep at the wheel and careen into your car, causing a head-on collision. You don’t know if the mechanic who fixed your car had a bad day and forgot to connect that brake line. You just take a leap of faith that your mechanic knows what he is doing.
When it comes to spiritual matters, people who are too afraid or are overly rational will often fail to trust in God. They will not take a leap of faith when required. Sadly, it may result in their missing out on a wonderful spiritual life.
When Summer was young, she went to a Baptist Church in the south. Her parents expected her to attend worship and Sunday School. While in High School, Summer fooled around and got pregnant. Her pastor condemned her actions and told her that she was living in sin. He used highly inflammatory language and was overly critical. It’s not that she hadn’t sinned. She knew that. It was the disgusted and demeaning way her pastor treated her that caused her to reject church and later, to separate herself from God and church people.
When Summer turned twenty-nine, she met a man for whom she fell deeply in love. He was great with her daughter. He was a great soulmate. There was one problem with him… he was a Christian from a Southern Baptist Church. He wanted to get married in his church. She didn’t want to go back to church anywhere. It caused them several discussions and arguments. Summer thought about giving up her soulmate.. that’s how much she didn’t want to be around church people or their God.
Just before breaking off their engagement, Summer decided to go to his church just once. For him. While there, she didn’t feel resentful eyes upon her. She didn’t feel judged. She felt uncomfortable, sure. But these people treated her and her daughter very well. She went a few more times. Then, one Sunday, as the pastor spoke, she felt something stirring in her heart. The sermon touched her soul. For that one brief moment, she let herself feel something. She felt something coming alive in her. Two weeks later, she took a leap of faith and asked God to come into her life. Thereafter, the differences in her were night and day. She no longer saw her husband’s faith as a problem in their relationship. Instead, it was a strength. She began to see other signs of God’s presence in her life that had been missing before. She perceived a difference in herself and in her relationships. Not long after, Summer married her soul mate. Her daughter was the maid of honor at the wedding. That leap of faith changed her, her family, and her relationships. That leap of faith changed everything.
Unless you take a leap of faith at required times, you will never understand what you might be missing. Yes, there will be times that leap will fail. Sometimes, that failure will actually be what you need! However, a true leap of complete faith in God will not fail you. Trust me on that one. I’ve seen it thousands of times before. People like Summer, who take an honest and forthright leap for God, usually become much better people. They are often the ones that become “the heart and soul of the family”. Not all Christians take true leaps of faith in God. Some go to church out of obligation. No leap of faith is required there. Some are Christians in name only… no faith is present whatsoever. True followers of Jesus know what its like to take leaps of faith. They also know the great value of making that leap for a Savior.
In our scripture for today from Hebrews, the writer laments that for some people the gospel message wasn’t enough. The gospel was “of no value to them” (Hebrews 4:2). Those people could not accept the gospel, because they could not “combine it with faith”. If you come to this web site looking for spiritual connection with God, chances are good that you have taken a leap of faith where the gospel message did touch your soul. I pray you do not give up on God, no matter what befalls you. I pray you do not become one of those shallow Christians who don’t continue to take leaps of faith with God.
Is there an area of your life where God wants you to take another leap of faith? Are you afraid to take leaps of faith due to past failures or regrets? Has your passion in God been lost to a self-centered reality in which leaps of faith are no longer present?
When was the last time you took a leap of faith for God? In the days of Hebrews, the gospel message failed to reach those who were incapable of a leap of faith. I hope you are never counted among those who fail to take leaps of faith with God. Often, its after those leaps of faith that God desires you to take that life really becomes interesting!
So many things in life take a leap of faith. Some people make that leap. Some are too afraid to have faith. Some are overly rational, and will fight any leap of faith, and thus will limit themselves to only what they can perceive with their limited senses. Some people, after being damaged by a leap of faith in someone, will have a hard time taking a leap of faith again…. even with God. Leaps of faith are incredibly common in the world, contrary to what people of science will tell you. It takes a leap of faith to believe that breathable air is in a room. You can’t see the oxygen and nitrogen content. You can’t see noxious fumes. You don’t know if methane gas has driven out the air in a room. You assume the air in the next room is breathable. Yet, you think nothing of taking that leap of faith and going from room to room and breathing. When you drive down the road, you don’t know if you will have an accident. You can do everything in your power to protect yourself and keep your family safe, but driving a car takes a leap of faith. You don’t know if someone will fall asleep at the wheel and careen into your car, causing a head-on collision. You don’t know if the mechanic who fixed your car had a bad day and forgot to connect that brake line. You just take a leap of faith that your mechanic knows what he is doing.
When it comes to spiritual matters, people who are too afraid or are overly rational will often fail to trust in God. They will not take a leap of faith when required. Sadly, it may result in their missing out on a wonderful spiritual life.
When Summer was young, she went to a Baptist Church in the south. Her parents expected her to attend worship and Sunday School. While in High School, Summer fooled around and got pregnant. Her pastor condemned her actions and told her that she was living in sin. He used highly inflammatory language and was overly critical. It’s not that she hadn’t sinned. She knew that. It was the disgusted and demeaning way her pastor treated her that caused her to reject church and later, to separate herself from God and church people.
When Summer turned twenty-nine, she met a man for whom she fell deeply in love. He was great with her daughter. He was a great soulmate. There was one problem with him… he was a Christian from a Southern Baptist Church. He wanted to get married in his church. She didn’t want to go back to church anywhere. It caused them several discussions and arguments. Summer thought about giving up her soulmate.. that’s how much she didn’t want to be around church people or their God.
Just before breaking off their engagement, Summer decided to go to his church just once. For him. While there, she didn’t feel resentful eyes upon her. She didn’t feel judged. She felt uncomfortable, sure. But these people treated her and her daughter very well. She went a few more times. Then, one Sunday, as the pastor spoke, she felt something stirring in her heart. The sermon touched her soul. For that one brief moment, she let herself feel something. She felt something coming alive in her. Two weeks later, she took a leap of faith and asked God to come into her life. Thereafter, the differences in her were night and day. She no longer saw her husband’s faith as a problem in their relationship. Instead, it was a strength. She began to see other signs of God’s presence in her life that had been missing before. She perceived a difference in herself and in her relationships. Not long after, Summer married her soul mate. Her daughter was the maid of honor at the wedding. That leap of faith changed her, her family, and her relationships. That leap of faith changed everything.
Unless you take a leap of faith at required times, you will never understand what you might be missing. Yes, there will be times that leap will fail. Sometimes, that failure will actually be what you need! However, a true leap of complete faith in God will not fail you. Trust me on that one. I’ve seen it thousands of times before. People like Summer, who take an honest and forthright leap for God, usually become much better people. They are often the ones that become “the heart and soul of the family”. Not all Christians take true leaps of faith in God. Some go to church out of obligation. No leap of faith is required there. Some are Christians in name only… no faith is present whatsoever. True followers of Jesus know what its like to take leaps of faith. They also know the great value of making that leap for a Savior.
In our scripture for today from Hebrews, the writer laments that for some people the gospel message wasn’t enough. The gospel was “of no value to them” (Hebrews 4:2). Those people could not accept the gospel, because they could not “combine it with faith”. If you come to this web site looking for spiritual connection with God, chances are good that you have taken a leap of faith where the gospel message did touch your soul. I pray you do not give up on God, no matter what befalls you. I pray you do not become one of those shallow Christians who don’t continue to take leaps of faith with God.
Is there an area of your life where God wants you to take another leap of faith? Are you afraid to take leaps of faith due to past failures or regrets? Has your passion in God been lost to a self-centered reality in which leaps of faith are no longer present?
When was the last time you took a leap of faith for God? In the days of Hebrews, the gospel message failed to reach those who were incapable of a leap of faith. I hope you are never counted among those who fail to take leaps of faith with God. Often, its after those leaps of faith that God desires you to take that life really becomes interesting!