Faith

As I was reading the Bible earlier, I was looking up scripture on faith. I looked up various passages, but one stood out in particular. It was in Mark 5. It was about the woman who had been bleeding for years, and she believed if she could just touch Jesus’s cloak she would be healed. Of course she was right. Immediately after she touched his cloak she was healed.
Yet nothing goes without His notice. Jesus knew He’d been touched and asked the crowd who had done it. His disciples thought this question was odd since there was such a large crowd of people and no doubt Jesus was being brushed up against by many. The woman of course comes forward and admits her actions.
The verse that really stood out to me, however, was when Jesus said, “Daughter, your faith has healed you.” (v. 34). What stands out to me about this verse is that it reminds me that while God performs miracles everyday, he does require that we have faith. It was God’s power that actually healed the woman, but Jesus was explaining that this healing was made possible because of her faith. She sought Him out in faith believing He not only could heal her, but that she would be healed.
God has reminded me countless times this past year about how my faith must be in action to be effective. It’s not enough to just admit I believe in Him for something. I have to live like I believe it. I have to do my part whatever that may be. When God said not to be anxious but to instead seek Him in prayer and His peace would follow, there was a command of action given in that statement. He didn’t just say, “Just believe I will work it out, and you will be set.” He said, DO NOT BE ANXIOUS…TAKE IT TO ME IN PRAYER AND WITH THANKSGIVING. That is my part in the matter. That is how I show my faith.
I think this is why Jesus made a point to tell the woman that her faith healed her. He said it to countless others after countless healings. Jesus told the centurion who believed He could simply say the word and his servant would be healed that He had never seen such faith and so he healed his servant. God requires us to have faith. He is able to answer our prayers without faith, but often He waits until we show ourselves faithful before He gives us what we want.
I was also thinking about how important it is that I protect my faith. I tried to think of what elicited a protective response out of me. I thought of my precious puppy Baxter. I’m very protective of him. He is my responsibility, and without me he is helpless. Thus, I am always very careful to make sure everything is unplugged and he is in a safe environment when I leave the house. I always keep him on a leash so he won’t get run over. I’m very protective of him because I love him so much.
This is how protective I should be with my faith. Faith is a precious thing. It’s a gift from God, and it’s a target for satan. He tries to destroy our faith as long as we’re alive, because that is the foundation of our relationship with God. I believe protecting my faith means shutting out any thought that opposes it. Paul advised us to “Take every thought captive.” This is a difficult task, because it’s so easy to forget to be “on guard.” I’m so easily distracted. Yet, it’s vital that I guard my faith, so I don’t stumble. It’s also important that I guard it so it has room to grow and expand. Beautiful flowers can’t grow in hazardous weather conditions. Faith needs a good environment to grow, and I can give it a good environment by nurturing it and protecting it.
Anyway, I know some of that may sound cheesy, but I think it’s important to remember. Faith is a precious thing! God requires it!