Focus: Lasting Faith

Text: 1Cor.13:13

"And now abideth faith, hope, charity…"

Did you read that? Faith abides. Faith comes to stay, not to stray. There's no time when faith is not needed in this life. Paul helps us to see the necessity and permanence of faith. Faith is never designed to fizzle out. It rather sizzles.

Faith builds its home in our hearts. Faith lives on, because it is anchored to God's word. It's built to last. It dwells, remains, continues and endures. It has the seal of importance and permanence. Faith isn't seasonal; it's for all seasons, all times, all eras, all generations, all epochs.

The importance and relevance of faith cannot be overstated or underestimated. Man needs faith to connect with God. Relationship with God is based on faith. According to the Scripture, it is impossible to please God without faith. No one can approach God except he has faith in Him. Faith exposes us to the invisible realities and to the supernatural phenomena. Faith tells you that there's more to life than what meets the eyes. Faith functions beyond the five senses. Faith deals with spiritual, heavenly and eternal realities. Faith gives reality and gravity to hope. Hope is rooted in the soil of faith - faith in what God has said. Our hope is sure because our faith is firm.

In Heb.11, we read that "these all died in faith…" (Heb.11:13). Even at the point of death the Old Testament people of faith were still believing and laying hold on the promises of God. The same goes for Joseph. We read, "By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones" (Heb.11:22). Their faith lasted till death, even beyond it. Truly, faith brings the believer into God's eternity, and by it he experiences the reality of God. Job said, "And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God" (Jb.19:26). That is the enduring quality of faith. It holds on to God and looks forward to a bodily resurrection. 

Faith ensures that hope is crowned with visible and tangible reality.

Faith is powerful and lasting because of who is behind it - God Himself. Giving up on faith means giving up on God. Faith doesn't only last, it also outlasts all negativities in your life - your pains, fears, doubts, worries, storms, sorrows, troubles, anxieties, concerns, and confusion. Life's conditions come and go, but faith abides. After all is said and done faith stays and sticks. Faith in Jesus Christ sees us through rough and tough times. Amid our sighs faith makes us sing, amid our tears faith makes us to cheer up, amid life's troubles faith infuses us with strength to stay afloat and testify at last, amid life's battles faith gives us the victory, and amid life's struggles faith enables us to survive and succeed in the end. 

By faith we beat the odds and weather the storms of life. Till the end of our earthly race we live by the dictates of faith - the faith of the Son of God. In the company of love and hope, faith has durability and enduring power. Permanence and perpetuity are the attributes of divine faith.

by Bishop Moses E. Peter