Musings on Faith
by Monty Sholund

From the May 2008 Philogian

In this issue we are sharing two short entries from Monty’s book Monty’s Musings on My Utmost for His Highest.  These are good thoughts to remember as we think about the future.

FAITH--NOT EMOTION (May 1)
Hello, my friend. We read in Scripture that we are to fix our eyes on things that are invisible for the things that are visible are transient, temporary, while the things that are invisible are eternal (2 Cor.4:18).  I love this thought of fixing our eyes, carefully adjusting our focus, keeping distractions away and our gaze intent on things that last.  In Hebrews 3:1, we are told to fix our thoughts on Jesus. This takes clear intention and even concentration, but it is not only a command but a key to blessing.  Our thoughts are the foundation to our actions, and we begin with our thoughts.  Then Hebrews 12:2 says we are to fix our eyes on Jesus.  In other words, thinking is one thing, seeing and acting is another thing.  And as long as Christ is the center of our thinking, the focus of our seeing, our planning, all will be well.

So Chambers’ verse for today is very appropriate, from 2 Corinthians 5:7, “We live by faith, not by sight” and vs. 9, “We make it our goal to please Him.” Again, intention, focus, discipline, desire expressed in action.  But faith, as Chambers reminds us, isn’t some saint flushed with some inspiring experience, wearing a golden halo. Such a self-assured Christian is of little value.  He is abnormal, unfit for daily life and very unlike the Lord.

Living by faith doesn’t mean we are so heavenly minded we’re no earthly good.  It means, in fact, we are living in the dirt, the grime, the sordidness of this world as lights in a dark place. If we are dependent on super-spiritual experiences, we are not living by faith, we are living by emotions. If we are dependent on defending some particular doctrine, we aren’t living by faith, we’re living by dogma.  But when we live by faith, we are simply, as Peter puts it in his first letter, 1:8, seeing Christ, “Whom having not seen you love Him… and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”

Thank You, Lord, for this great gift of faith, by which by grace we are saved, not of our own feeble, foolish works but in Your presence.  Help us to be deliberate in our fixing our thoughts and eyes on You today, dedicated to shining brightly wherever we are.

GRACIOUS UNCERTAINTY (April 29)
Hello, my friend. Chambers’ verse for today is so appropriate, I John 3:2, “..and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be.” Weren’t you stirred by today’s comments? So especially valuable. He says, “Our natural inclination is to be so precise that we look on uncertainty as a bad thing. Certainty is the mark of the commonsense life-- but gracious uncertainty is the mark of the spiritual life.” How wisely true. We want to know exactly what is going to happen, what can we count on. But, as Chambers says, “If our certainty is only in our beliefs, we develop a sense of self-righteousness, become overly critical and are limited by the view that our beliefs are complete and settled. When we become simply a promoter or a defender of a particular belief, something within us dies. That is not believing God--it is only believing our belief about Him.”

This obviously doesn’t mean that we are uncertain about certain fundamental, basic truths about our faith; they are unalterable. But we so often emphasize some aspect of interpretation or even behavior and make them the chief characteristics of orthodox faith. This reduces our worship to familiar routine and our lives to acceptable expressions. All the while God has planned for us new experiences of His presence and new awareness of His working, and we often miss them because of our stoic attachment to the past!

Indeed, Jesus said, “...Believe also in Me” (John 14:1) not “Believe certain things about Me.”  The Christian who is walking with God allows God the choice of what is ahead and expects God to make His mercies new every morning, which means that each day will bring fresh experiences of His grace.

Thank You, Lord, for this good reminder of the danger of getting trapped into the predictable, comfortable, safe routines of our worship of You. So often we end up in a self-gratifying fulfillment of human expectations, and never really experience the wonder of what You, as a God who continues to create things, have in store for us. Forgive us, Lord, for refusing to take the risky, unpredictable, but always satisfying journey with You. Bless my friend who is reading along and whom You may be inviting to an exciting venture of faith. Thank You for Your presence.

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