A Deeper Faith and A Widow

How many times do we see God at work, hear His truths and see His power displayed miraculously and yet still we live in doubts and questions?

Faith is child's play.

Faith is foolishness.

Faith is something to work out through fear and trembling.

1st Kings 17:7-24 Tells the story of Elijah meeting with the widow at Zarephath

During the encounter Elijah tells the widow God has promised to provide for her physical needs despite the drought in the land.

The story does not go into detail. But I wonder, did the jar not run dry and the flour not get used up just in a completely miraculous way that they just never ran out OR was it that despite all of her neighbors crops drying up and shriveling or failing to produce due to the drought that yet hers continued to flourish and grow so she could glean when others could not? Either way, I imagine the miraculous event occurring in front of her day after day would cause her Faith to be secure, solid and even unmoved.

Yet, just like the widow,  we can see the miraculous taking place right before our very eyes day after day and we can still choose to walk in willful unbelief. We can choose to walk in doubts. And we can choose to allow questions to cloud out Faith!

The widow sees Gods miraculous promise fulfilled. Yet, as time went on the woman's son became ill and died. When he died she cried out. In her desperation she gave her dead son to Elijah.

Then, Elijah cried out!

And it was after this miracle that the woman finally relented in her doubts and turned toward Faith.

"Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the LORD from your mouth is the truth." -The Widow At Zarephath

God, in what areas am I living in doubts and questions rather than allowing my faith to rise up? Where am I walking in unbelief? Show my heart the areas you desire me to grow and develop a deeper Faith. Help me surrender my doubts and questions and fears and unbelief to You and trust you even when I can't understand or comprehend. Please forgive my unbelief and help me overcome it! Please open my eyes to see you at work in the miraculous all around me! Let my Faith rise up!

In Jesus name, amen!

Unknown seed...

Before we moved, Seana was playing in the area on our lot she called "the up-woods". While she was there she found a small oblong black seed. To me it looked like some type of bean seed. I don't remember ever seeing a seed exactly like it before. We made some guesses of what it could be...

A tree

A pea

A bean

A flower

But truly we had no idea of what exactly the seed would develop into.

Seana was so SO excited! She wanted to plant the seed, water and care for it and watch it grow-all-by-herself! I thought it would be a great experience for her so I said sure and we found a container for her little seed.

She planted it.

She watered it.

She brought the seedling under cover when it stormed.

She cared for it and watched it grow.

As it has grown, we have been able to identify it as what we believe is a Sunflower plant! 

This is the lesson God has been speaking to my heart in this... 

Sometimes we too, plant unknown seeds. 

Seeds of unknown origin and unknown outcomes, with uncertain results. 

The thoughts, the lies, the fears, the beliefs, the hurt and pain we bury deep down unsure of what it may become. 

When we water (or allow to fester and grow) those thoughts, beliefs, fears, lies, and hurts can grow and develop into deeply rooted, growing plants... Plants we weren't even sure what they'd become. 

So, how do we keep the seeds we are planting in check? How do we stay alert and awake to what we are planting within our hearts, minds and body's? 

1 Peter 5:8-9

Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.
9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
So we can be aware of what seeds we are planting by standing firm in the faith and staying ALERT! This passage also goes on to say that GOD HIMSELF will restore us if and when we fall prey... So, we can turn to God asking Him to restore us and protect our hearts and minds from planting seeds that may grow deep roots and develop into unhealthy unknown thought patterns, beliefs or hurt that lingers. We can ask God to bring us healing, His truth, hope, love, light and strength! We can ask Him to deeply, firmly plant within us roots that grow into plants we know well and that will develop into beautiful strong parts of us!

What we plant, matters. It WILL grow into something.

What we think, matters. It will grow into something.

What we believe, matters. It will grow into something.

What we do, matters, it will grow into something.

What seeds are you planting today?