Articles of Faith
A Tale of Two Cities
Bethlehem and Nazareth are the two cities mentioned in the prophetic verses of the coming Messiah. Both cities are small towns in the clan of Judah. As a child, Jesus grew up in Nazareth, but He was born in Bethlehem. Because of a government decree, Mary and Joseph traveled to Bethlehem to be counted in a census, but they eventually returned to Nazareth. What’s interesting about these two cities is they are both small cities where the birth of a king or the origin of the king would not be expected. In fact, Christ’s earthly birth caused many to pause—after all, he was only a Nazarene. To many, no one of any importance was born in Nazarene.
Today, a mention of a certain city, a certain town, or even a certain country can conjure up negative thoughts and images. However, the message of Christ was not for a class of people. Christ became a sacrificial lamb for all people, all nations, and all races. We live in a judgmental world, and if what the world thinks of us were true, then there would be no hope for anyone. Christ invites us to come as we are. Why? Because He knows our past, our present, and our future. In fact, He chose us before the foundation of the world.
Christ chooses people from all over the world and from all walks of life to share the message of His love. So, when the world sees us this way or defines us that way, we know we are chosen by Christ. Christ sees us and loves us for who we are. He chooses us for who we are, but He also chooses us for who we can be. So, while the world sees where we come from, Christ sees our hearts. When the world sees our weaknesses and judges, Christ sees our strengths and gives us hope. With hope, we know we can step out on faith, knowing Christ will never give up on us as we strive to achieve our spiritual and earthly goals.
God Is for Me
On the run, David was caught in what we would call “between a rock and hard place.” Running from the wrath of King Saul, David was sure he would meet death if captured. However, he was running toward the town of Gath, where his enemy, the Philistines, awaited him. The Philistines hated the Israelites, but David was not just an Israelite. He was the Israelite shepherd boy who had killed their champion, Goliath, with a mere stone. David was certain that death waited for him on whichever road he chose, so in Psalm 56, he chose to plea for God’s mercy. “When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back, this I know; for God is for me.” (vs. 9)
Psalm 56 personifies a situation we have all found ourselves in, a situation where we are so overwhelmed with problems we can see no way out. So, in despair, we plead for God’s mercy and wait for an answer. Most likely, our troubles will not be resolved overnight. So, in our impatience, we find ourselves once again submitting to despair. Even in our despair, we know there is hope. So, we continue to petition in prayer and place our faith in God.
No matter what the situation, we know we can turn to God for mercy, for guidance, and for patience. In faith, we turn to God, but when our human weaknesses challenge our faith, we need only to remember this: “God is for me.”
The Trouble with Lemonade
“When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” Now, I know this is supposed to be a positive quote, but every time I hear it, I cringe. The first question I ask is, “Who is passing out these lemons? Is it life, or is it the world. Next, what kind of lemons is “life” giving me? Are they plump, firm, bright yellow lemons, or are these lemons brown and soft to the touch? Are these lemons representing the fates of life, or the injustices of the world? If the answer is the latter, are sugar and water available—and if they are, will they do more harm than good?
Life is not easy. No one is promised a trouble-free life. In fact, trouble in our lives is practically guaranteed. So when trouble does enter our lives, what do we do? Do we accept the problem as unsolvable and make the best of it? Or do we have enough faith to live through it? Do we know the promises of God? Do we pray without ceasing? Do we accept His will?
Settling for the lemons of life can block our spiritual growth and our personal relationship with Christ. When we pray and put our trust in God, we can stand on His Word. Sometimes the lemons in our lives cannot be removed; but instead of making lemonade, we will discover in faith that what we thought was just a lemon was actually a seed to a fruit of the Holy Spirit.