Faith

Hebrews 11:6

At 5.30am we stand at the top of the hill in the Mt Cook national park in New Zealand to celebrate that awesome sunrise.
The photo was taken with the self-timer.

Photo by Pablo Heimplatz / Unsplash

And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

Hebrews 11:6, ESV

Faith is the key. Faith is a gift of God, but it is more than just belief. God desires our devotion. He doesn’t just want us to acknowledge Him with a nod and a smile but to live our lives with Him ever present in our thoughts and represented in our actions. This doesn’t mean that we are supposed to hand out Gospel tracts with every handshake and quote Bible verses in every interaction. Our Lord desires for all people to know that we are His, and this can be made clear in our interactions by how we treat others. As a pastor, it is interesting to see how people act differently when they are aware that I am a pastor. I have had people talk with me and then ask me what I do, and I have watched them change after they hear that word. Sometimes it is funny. My aunt told me that I should always wear a clergy collar, as should all pastors, so she would know not to say certain things that might be embarrassing. My suggestion was to act as though all people were wearing clergy collars. In fact, all Christians should at least act like that in their lives. If there is something that is inappropriate to say in front of a pastor, it is simply inappropriate to say and should not be said at all. Our Lord wants us to be different. As followers of Christ, we are a part of the priesthood of all believers. For this reason, we always are meant to walk in faith because we have been called to Him and are His and His alone. He saves us and redeems us. In this faith, we always walk before His face, and all is known to Him as our Lord and our God.

Let us pray. I thank you, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, your dear Son, that you have kept me this night from all harm and danger, and I ask you to protect me this day also from sin and every evil, that in all I do today, I may please you. For into your hands, I commend myself, my body and soul, and all that is mine. Let your holy angel watch over me, that the wicked foe have no power over me. Amen.