Knocking on heaven's door

‘Lord I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief’. This was the exclamation of a father whose seriously disturbed son needed to be delivered from his affliction. The father was responding to the challenge of Jesus who had said, ‘Everything is possible for him who believes.’

How many ‘seekers’ after God could benefit from this father’s heartfelt prayer, ‘Lord I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief’’? Often Christian believers pray a similar prayer as they seek to grow in their faith in Jesus.

Doubtless, in a moment of anguish or crisis, many people will have cried out to the God they don’t believe in. Some will have received what they might have expected – nothing; others may have received the help that their distrust in God didn’t warrant. This being so, it seems rather hit and miss. The Bible, however, offers us a firm basis for reaching out to the God who can meet our real needs.

Firstly, we are told to, ‘…understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.’ Is that so hard? To my knowledge, no one has ever put forward a robust alternative as to what brought the universe into being.

Secondly, and again from the same chapter in the Bible, the next foundation block is equally reasonable, ‘…anyone who comes to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.’ At this point there is a promise to us that God will not turn a deaf ear to anyone who will deal with him earnestly; that there is a reward to be given in due time.

This notion of seeking and reward were confirmed in the familiar words of Jesus, ‘Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.’

For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.’

Jesus was speaking to people like us who were to pursue God’s agenda for their lives in a way that honours him with the promise that, if we do, we will not be left to go it alone; we will be rewarded with God’s provision, help and strength, not to mention joy and wonder. Can we believe this? Can we trust this? ‘Lord I do believe. Help me overcome my unbelief.’

#belief #trust #creation