made real

"My ears had heard of you

but now my eyes have seen you."

Job 42:5

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Somehow through Job's ordeal, God went from being something heard of, to being something something seen. The same is true of us. So often God is just something we have heard of, and we do believe in. But when things fall apart, and our faith is all we have left to stand on, then we see that our faith, that our God, is real.

When we speak of faith, too often we are just speaking of a set of beliefs. But that isn't enough. As James says, "In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." (James 2:17) Our actions prove whether our faith is not just something we believe in, but also something we trust in. Maybe the opposite argument makes this clearer - if we aren't willing to trust in something, then we obviously don't believe in it.

Peter also speaks of this, "though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith - of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire - may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. (1 Peter 1:6,7)

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LORD, help my faith to be proved genuine

through my trust in you.....

wherever you may be leading.....

to your praise, glory and honor,

amen