More faith
This weekend the Geneva church is hosting a conference on faith. Members are inviting friends. Adam will speak Friday on, “Is faith still possible today?” I’ve got the Saturday session, “Is faith useful?” Then on Sunday morning, Renaud will cover, “Where will faith finally take us?” (The flier’s on http://www.i-evangile.com/foi21siecle/)
On the late train heading home to Lausanne, I invited Lydia, my Tuesday-night-train-traveling-partner, to come to the meeting. We go way back. She was one of my English students years ago. We were neighbors. After she and her husband moved, we lost contact, until we started regularly taking the same train.
Her reply begged for clarification: I’d love to have more faith. I have so very little. -- What do you mean by “little”? -- She said that she was pessimistic. People of faith are optimistic. She doesn’t have much hope for the world. People of faith see a future for the world. She had no desire to read the Word, and people of faith love God’s Word.
Just before pulling into the Lausanne train station, I offered to help her faith grow. She said great, she’d call me this summer. She’s too busy right now for more faith.
posted by Brady @ 7:51 AM
5 comments
5 Comments:
Interesting...
I think Lydia may just be more open and honest about her feelings regarding God/the Word/Faith.
I wonder if our words, even though spoken differently, sometimes translate to "I just don't have time to help my faith grow right now."
Add that to the long list of things we like to have that do not require waiting, effort and perseverance.
Blessings on your preparation and delivery for Saturday. Send me your notes (in English!)
It's frustrating, but you planted a seed and God tends to honor those plantings ... in time.
I'd love it if people in our church would be as honest as Lydia. "Institutional church people" seem to think attendance and faith are one and the same.
I'll keep you in prayer for Saturday.
Lydia's questions are so indicative of how the world views the church. We are optimistic, we see a future for the world, we love God's Word. Well...yes and no.
It's the same mindset that says the church is no place for sinners...that we have all the answers, or at least we think we do. What the church needs to show the world is that their perception of us is true...but only through the lens of Jesus Christ. We are optimistic in him...we see a future for his kingdom, in fact the only future...we love the Word because it became flesh.
But God is obviously at work in this woman's life. I'm glad He has put you back in her path. I'm in prayer for her and wondering if she'll allow God to help you and others remove the scales from her eyes.
Thanks for the comments. I was surprised by the way that Lydia defined "little faith". It had "little" to do with "being faithful" in an institutional sort of way, and much to do about how we live and how we see the world we live in and God's interaction with us. It also looks like she thinks FAITH should stimulate HOPE. That sounds pretty right on.
I'll get the notes out to you on Saturday night's talk as soon as I figure out what to say. Really.
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