I ran across it this morning; rather, it ran across me. All over me. In me. Through me. Within and without of me.
A verse. A single Scripture that my desperation cried out for like a beggar plowing through a garbage bin for the scraps from yesterday’s fine dining. A yesterday’s fare that still tastes fresh and rich and full of all the nutrients a hungering soul needs.
God’s Word is like that. It feeds our wanton estate with the richest bounty of heaven. All that is required from us in the matter is our willingness to entreat the bounty with faith enough to believe that what we’re looking for will be found in ready supply. With God’s Word our souls never go hungry, never leave empty, never walk away with “less” than what we had prior to our arrival at the table.
God’s Word feeds fully.
Today, he fed me with this verse from Jude. He told me to contend for the faith that he has entrusted to me. To “strive and to fight” for the faith that has been “delivered, handed down” to me. Those words shot through me with a clarity I’d not seen before. The previous underlining of them was a good indicator that I’d read them before, but for whatever reason, today they packed a punch and forced my pondering.
Interesting that this “contending” in the Greek is the opposite of the word eireneuo which means “to keep the peace or to be at peace” (and you know how I feel about that particular topic…). I am not to be at peace with my faith… to be a casual attendee on the road of faith. Rather, I’m to be vigilant in my efforts at faith’s cultivation. At growing and further developing the initial belief that was first transferred to my heart from a loving God who entrusted me with faith’s safe-keeping.
It doesn’t make sense to me to have been entrusted with such a gift. God knows just exactly how many times I’ve failed him in this department. Times when I’ve chosen doubt over trust. Selfish control over selfless release. My shifting manipulations over his tried and true. My plans, my thoughts over his. Indeed, it seems another saint might be a better fit for God’s gift of faith.
Still and yet, he calls me his saint, his “set-apart and his consecrated.” He tells me that faith is mine for the keeping. Not to contend with it, but to contend for it. Why? Because faith isn’t a gift that warrants my rebellious fists. Faith is a gift that deserves my open hands. My willingness to receive, to hold, to absorb, and to clothe myself in the cause of Jesus Christ.
A gift so precious is a gift worthy of my best contending.
Day in. Day out, until all of my earthly days are done and I come open-handed to the throne of my Jesus where I return to him the package of faith I’ve been given. He will put the punctuation mark on this journey he’s authored in me. In that moment, there will be final perfection—an end that serves as a fitting conclusion to the story that he and I have been writing together for the past forty-three years.
How I contend for my faith now is directly linked to how I will be commended for my faith then.
They won’t measure out equally, for there is nothing I can do here in the present that will match what I’m going to receive from God in the future. His grace and blessing will always trump my efforts at the same. But I do believe there is something more to be gained from my contending for the faith on this side of the eternity that will matter for the other side of eternity. Something better … something further … something grander because I was willing to go to the mat for my faith and for my Jesus until my final breath.
I don’t want to peacefully find my way to heaven. I want to go there contending for the One who was willing to go to the mat for me on a hillside 2000 years ago. Who looked down through the ages and saw a young girl named Faith Elaine and decided that her life was worth his. That her heart could be trusted with faith’s impartation, with faith’s safe-keeping. A risky calculation in my estimation, but not enough to keep Jesus from making his altared surrender.
I want to honor that surrender with my honest contention. My best efforts at forging ahead with my faith. These are the days when we must move forward in our faith, friends. We are not to shrink back in our belief. We must not waver in our understanding regarding our finish … our end. God is that end. He who began a good work in us is faithful to complete it. He serves as the bookends to all faith journeys, but we must be vigilant in our walking the “in between.”
Faith steps ahead, not behind. For faith to grow there must be movement beneath our feet and progress within our hearts. Otherwise, we’re stuck.
I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to finish this race stuck. This is the tragedy of an infant-fed faith. Do you realize that we could spend the rest of our spiritual lives stuck right where we are, right now? When we close our eyes on our earthly days, if all we have is an initial belief in Jesus, then we’re going to make it home to him. But I don’t want to just make it home. I want to make it home with something more to give him—a package of faith that was well-contented for and well-lived. Not some half-hearted attempt at the process.
Thus, I choose striving over peace-keeping. Moving on rather than staying stuck. Keeping the faith rather than casting it to the curb. Pressing in, pressing further, pressing through until my faith becomes my eyes, and I hear the commendation that my heart is contending for even today.
A good fight for a good faith all the way through to a very good finish. Keep contending for the King, friend. He still contends for thee. As always…
peace for the journey,
You always seem to write exactly what I need to hear…There were so many parts of this post that spoke to me, but these seemed to leap off the page at me:
"I am not to be at peace with my faith… to be a casual attendee on the road of faith. Rather, I’m to be vigilant in my efforts at faith’s cultivation. At growing and further developing the initial belief that was first transferred to my heart from a loving God who entrusted me with faith’s safe-keeping."
"How I contend for my faith now is directly linked to how I will be commended for my faith then."
"Faith steps ahead, not behind. For faith to grow there must be movement beneath our feet and progress within our hearts. Otherwise, we’re stuck."
Thank you, friend, for this insightful post…I'm going to print it so I can read it again in the days to come.
Contending for the King…
Love you,
Beth
"Faith steps ahead, not behind. For faith to grow there must be movement beneath our feet and progress within our hearts. Otherwise, we’re stuck."
I've been mulling, of late, how passive waiting doesn't work. Even though we might be in a season of "waiting", for it to be a "growing season", we still have to move, to act. Thanks so much for adding the thoughts God's giving you on the matter to what He's stirring in me.
Hugs,
Melinda
Such precious words, I needed these today. Thank you.
Hey Elaine,
this writing really shows your LOVE for our LORD and SAVIOR, sounds like you really had a good time with your friends Beth E and Bill..Tell your Billy HELLO. Love the pictures and the Video. I was in the mountains about two weeks ago, so pretty…
Love you,
T Cooke
Once again I am so blessed to visit your blog! Thank you so much for encouraging me to continue stepping AHEAD in faith … beautiful reminder! I pray that I will be vigilant in cultivating my faith, moving my feet, and progressing in my heart! You are an amazing blogfriend and I am blessed to "know" you!!
Be blessed today — richly!
Oh, what an awesome post here Elaine! It was just full of so many wonderful truths and things that I needed to hear.
I am on my way to go and read Jude 🙂
It doesn’t make sense to me to have been entrusted with such a gift. God knows just exactly how many times I’ve failed him in this department. Times when I’ve chosen doubt over trust. Selfish control over selfless release. My shifting manipulations over his tried and true. My plans, my thoughts over his. Indeed, it seems another saint might be a better fit for God’s gift of faith.
Your words always have a way of finding my heart.
Elaine, you said: "A good fight for a good faith all the way through to a very good finish."
I strive for a good fight for a good faith all the way through to a very good finish. I love how God uses you to reach us. Praise the Lord!
I never took those words to heart before. It's good to contemplate one verse at a time, to really chew on it. Great post…
Wow, Elaine.. I wish I had the words to express what this post said to me. Since I can't find them, please know it has blessed me more than you could know and given me much to think about. I've also sent it on to my sister as I think it will really speak to her and her family right now.
Thanks so much for sharing (and sharing so well) what God has placed on your heart!
"How I contend for my faith now is directly linked to how I will be commended for my faith then."
Thinking today too of those who contended for our freedom in our Country and yours. The sacrifices made as they contended for peace.
Thanking God for both a living peace and a dying peace.
Hugs,
Joy
I loved when you wrote:
Faith steps ahead, not behind.
Yolanda needs to remember this!
Love to you.
I like this line: He serves as the bookends to all faith journeys, but we must be vigilant in our walking the “in between.” This is where the striving for faith is greatest for me right now in my present place. Wonderful post.
Oh – how I have been fed from the truth of God's Word at this place tonight! I kept highlighting different lines and phrases that leapt off the page at me – but there were too many.
Oh how I have missed coming here – but God knew I needed this one tonight more than anything.
I settled for two different highlights from your post:
"God’s Word feeds fully."
and………
"Faith steps ahead, not behind. For faith to grow there must be movement beneath our feet and progress within our hearts. Otherwise, we’re stuck."
I hope our friend Cindy catches this post…. just becuase it's a call to keep us moving forward in Christ and in our faith. The enemy wants so much for us to stay stuck or to give up completely on our faith journey. I needed to hear this – because when you're in pain [whether physical like mine – or emotional] sometimes it's hard to move forward.
But this encouragment from God's Word and from the wisdom and discernment of your gleaning here – truly gives me [us] hope to CONTEND for that precious faith that God has given us as His gift to us! A faith that must stay active [present active participle Believing God]!!
I always say that faith that sits on a shelf and collects dust is not really faith at all! Faith must be continual. And Paul calls it a "good fight of faith"! There's that contending idea again!
What a JOY and blessing to come here tonight!
How I praise God for you dear Sister! Keep writing and sharing all that God gives you! It makes all the difference to those of us who share at the table!
Leaping [in faith] for JOY,
Stephanie
[JESUS – The One I Wait For]
As so often is the case, you have given me much to think about from this one verse. Especially in the times we are living in, we need to be contending for the faith. Thanks for the insights.
"Keep contending…" What good thoughts, Elaine. Something I need to hear every day…
Oh Elaine,
You are a beautiful warrior princess for Jesus.
Your words move
prompt
compel
… and all the while give glory to the King.
I just love you. Your words feed this hungry soul.
Oh, Elaine! Thank you for this awesome Word. You dig deep and share so freely. My day is blessed.
Amen! Faith steps ahead! It does not fall behind! So if we find ourselves behind in our walk of faith. It is time to contend!! 🙂
wifeforthejourney:
Probably without intending it, you have written not only a profound word but also another personal confession – "Faith steps ahead, not behind." No matter what trials you have had to face, you have always come back around to believe that "the best is yet to come."
Thank you for living and believing the best; for receiving God's grace and giving it in such great measure to me. Being your husband is a joy; I will be forever greatful to God for the gift of you in my life!
Love,
Billy
I don’t want to peacefully find my way to heaven. I want to go there contending for the One who was willing to go to the mat for me on a hillside 2000 years ago.
YES. So powerful, Elaine
Elaine, great post – Wow. It really hit me. I lead a Bible study on Thursday mornings, and shared this Scripture and "teaching" on it. Thank you so much!
Oh I so needed this today. I am glad I found your blog. So true, "Faith steps ahead, not behind. I also love the bracelet on that post, may I ask where you got it?
Nancy in NC
I followed a link from Susan's blog to get here…am I ever glad I did…this message is exactly what I needed to read tonight…I will be back again….
If faith didn't step ahead it wouldn't be faith. Praise God He provides everything we need to complete our journey.
I love how He brings a Scripture or a passage to mind and it's exactly what I was needing. He astounds me.
Blessings.
Hey Elaine,
"willing to go to the mat for my faith and for my Jesus until my final breath"……………those words stir my heart so deeply and call me to deeper depths in Him and His Word.
Wonderful post sister!
Sweet Blessings!
Jackie
This was so wonderful to read and my heart needed it. Thank you for being such a blessing.
Tammy
Thank you for ALWAYS sharing great truth and wisdom. I love you.
Contending builds muscle. When I'm complacent, my spiritual muscle is weak, if not flabby. It's a downward spiral from there.
Such needful wisdom here, Elaine. May I ever be found on the muscled side of contending for my faith.
Hugs,
Kathleen