Let's Faith It!

I read a great definition of faith in Charles Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening book. It says: Faith is the oil enabling the wheels of holy devotion and of practical holiness to move well; and without faith, the wheels are taken from the chariot, and we drag ourselves along.” Spurgeon was an English Baptist pastor who preached and wrote and taught in the mid 1800’sin London.  His legacy lives on.

If we simplify the quote for ourselves, we might say, “Faith is the oil that keeps us moving to become better people.” Without faith, according to our version of Spurgeon, our wheels, our movement forward ceases and we just drag ourselves along. 

So what does that mean for us? What can we do to keep our faith properly oiled, keep our little light on, so we can keep moving forward? My sense of this is that we need faith before we even begin to recognize that holiness exists. We need faith to plug into resources that would give us more faith, more oil, more possibility. Some of us may recall days when faith did not bring us the oil of gladness. We didn’t think about matters of faith because we thought we could do life without it. After all, we are clever and smart and capable. We know enough about life and people to be able to get along. Yes, but where are we getting to? We may just be dragging ourselves along, expecting nothing much up ahead.

Perhaps it helps to think back to when you were a child, when you had childlike faith. You accepted God on His terms, believed in His love for you, and trusted He was in control. Years pass by and your life experience fills you with questions, or perhaps builds walls around your heart and you forget what faith meant to you. Since the same God who knew you and called you by name as a child, still wants to lead you forward, still wants to nurture you and guide you on your way, then you may have to take a new approach. Faith it! You may have to open your heart to the idea, the possibility, the sweetness of faith and try again.

God is still calling you to faith it. He wants you to live in confidence that you are never alone, never without hope, and never without His amazing love. Faith is the oil that keeps your wheels turning in God’s direction. 

Let’s Faith It Together!