Friday, October 22, 2010

Belief Brings Action

"Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter -- when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear;" -- Isaiah 58:6-8a

We want. We want. We want. We're always asking God for something. You know we are. We want Him to protect those we love. We want Him to provide for our physical and emotional needs. We love Him and He loves us. We want so many things but what are we doing for Him?

Sometimes we get so caught up in what we call that John 3:16 thing that we don't think beyond it. We are saved by faith in Jesus. We don't have to do anything. Indeed, we can't do anything to earn it. God gave it to us freely. Jesus died on a cross and took our sins on Himself so that those who believe can live eternally in heaven. End of story. Sort of.

See, I don't understand how anyone who truly believes in Jesus and has accepted His gift can fail to live his/her life differently. Something changes inside a person. The Holy Spirit takes up residence. Things look different. You are different.

So we look out and see someone who is hungry and we share what we have so they can eat too. We help build houses. We visit with the elderly and care for the children in our midst. We use the special gifts God has given us to further His kingdom, to let others see Jesus living inside us.

We aren't called to simply believe and get on with life as we knew it before. We are called to use that belief as a springboard to help God's people. Our people. Because we are all God's children, whether we believe or don't. Whether we're rich or poor, American or not. We are part of the same family. How can we not care?

Many people claim to know Jesus, to have faith in Him as Lord and Savior. But when that faith fails to show itself in our actions, that faith lacks sincerity. It brings up the question of whether we believe only with our mouths or whether we believe with our hearts. Think about it.