Faith That Looks Up

They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish.  Mark 6:42-43 (TNIV)

One could spend endless amounts of time trying to define faith.  Much of our efforts are spent studying it or teaching it to others.  But more important than what it is, is what it does and how it is effectuated.  That it is a gift, most would agree.  However, the very next step we often take is one which works contrary to its very nature.  Normally we go straight on to prove it, buy it or sell it.  We take something that comes only from God above and try to manipulate it as if it were a commodity like all others we are accustomed to working with.

It has been suggested that faith itself is in some ways like the eye.  It does not see itself, but its function in life is in seeing.  It is forever beholding but never concerned about what it looks like, its appearance, its function or its consistency.  It might be said too that, as the eye´s primary objective is to look on other things, so our faith´s purpose is to gaze at the Lord.

As Jesus blessed the food before breaking the bread and fish, He turned His gaze upward.  He, who could see, turned His eyes onto His Father.  If this is not faith, then where could we turn to find it?  The actions which followed demonstrate perfectly where that gaze had been directed.  We too, rather than turn our attention to the consistency, nature or anything about our own eyes, might want to listen to this simple lesson.

Should we hear the Spirit´s urgings today, we may see that a whole lot of misdirected time and effort are being given to dissecting our eyes.  Something far more beneficial to us now and throughout eternity to come, would be to channel our efforts into exercising the small amount of faith we already have been given.  We desperately need to learn to start using that eye of the soul and fix its gaze on the One who deserves our attention.

A world of good, healthy religion is being taken care of for us without our knowing, when we cease to concern ourselves with what we know, what we are, and what we are doing.  When we begin to look away and up to Another which is far greater and lovelier than us, then for us, faith begins its marvelous work.

Therefore, let us pray each day for help from above.  Let us pray for this finest of all gifts, the gift of faith.  Let us not take away its effectiveness by wasting time on our fine powers of reason or higher intelligence.  Our Savior made it clear that the work He was more concerned with was our seeking of and exercising of faith, and not self-gratifying mental skills.

So, like Jesus who looked to God, let us fix the gaze of our heart on the Father above.  Let us turn ourselves into living organs whose sole purpose is searching for and beholding our God.  Let us not get distracted and take those eyes off of Him for any excuse.  Should we do that, then surely we should suffer injury without realizing it, because our attention is not fixed upon its goal.

Dear Lord, we have heard of a gift.  We love gifts and a gift from You is the best.  Send us the sweet gift of faith.  Then go on to show us how to exercise it.  Even if we are given the smallest seed of it, let us move forward to fix it upon its purpose.  Teach us how to make more of it, nurture it and help it on its blessed of all missions.  Let it work marvelous miracles in our lives as it looks away and up unto You.  May the visions of You and Your wonders become all that we see and never let us be distracted or lose sight of You.

Amen