By Pastor Mark Quick
Faith is not flaky denial of the facts – it’s a disposition of heart that produces dynamic vision and expectation. What do you see when you look at your finances, family, church or workplace?
There’s a famous nugget of truth embedded in the lonely book of Habakkuk. Chapter two and verse four says, “The just shall live by his faith.” Some versions render “live” as “walk.” Either rendering is fine, because it’s telling us that faith is the basis of decision-making, action-taking and evaluation employed by those whom God considers just. One of these days, take five minutes and reread Hebrews 11 and you will see that instead of a textbook definition of faith, the word of God defines it by the actions it produces.
I love reading about the portion ofIsrael’s history when after 70 years in Babylonian and then Persian captivity a remnant returned to rebuild the temple, the wall and the way of life in Jerusalem. It’s all found in Ezra, Nehemiah, Haggai and Zechariah. Two important questions are asked regarding the new temple. First is, “Who has despised the day of small things?” And second, “Is this not in your eyes as nothing?” You see, the new temple was a far cry from the glory and grandeur of the great temple Solomon built duringIsrael’s glory years – prior to their exile which was the result of sin. God declared, however, that this new temple had his favor and was going to be the place his glory would dwell. With their eyes they saw something puny and in comparison to former glory, something of less significance. God saw something different.
Here is the point at which faith comes in. You see, no matter the adornments it has, a building is not a temple until the presence of God fills it. No matter the gold, the bronze or the ivory – it’s God in the house that makes it a temple. A barn can become a temple if God is there.
So what do you see in your family, finances, church or workplace? Does it look pitiful to you? Well, walk by faith. Call on God. It’s not what you see that ultimately matters. What matters is getting God in the middle of it. That’s what changes a tent to a tabernacle, a building to a temple, a shepherd to a king and a cross to a victory. Don’t be pitiful. My goodness, get God in the middle of that thing and get to walking!
