Happy Father’s Day; I try to be a good father for two daughters that I love very much. I’m proud of the women and mothers they’ve become.
I try to be a good grandfather. One thing that hurts is seeing the
sadness in my grandson longing for his father. His dad is not there. He makes
promises he doesn’t keep. When I go out of town, my grandson gets upset. He has
me call him in the morning and evening to reassure him “I coming back.”
Because of his experience, he has doubts and misplaced faith.
I’m trying to restore his faith. It involves a lot of praying and
presence.
All of God’s people need faith. But it must be the right faith, not misplaced
faith. Look around, humanity has become confused about where to put their faith
because of sin.
Sin causes confusion. Sin obscures the truth. Sin kills hope.
Society is weakened as the world accepts sinfulness and the confusing
message of sin. That confusion weakens the human heart and hides truth so even reason
fails against the misplaced faith of sinfulness. As the world tells humanity to
put its faith in the wrong place, it brings a hopeless struggle.
We hear the whispering of others. “The world cries out terror on every
side! Denounce! Denounce those who believe!” Those were the prophets Jeremiah word’s in a time of violence and sin. People had
become confused by sinfulness and were challenging those with true faith.
That is the way with humanity; we lose our way and blame others. It’s been
that way throughout history.
Today, much faith is only in the things of this world. It is a faith
that glorifies arrogance, greed and excess, materialism, sex, idleness, and
envy. It brings bitterness, resentment, and anger.
Sin puts our selfish needs in our path to God. Sin has misplaced our faith
to faith in the sins of man. None can escape it because all have sinned.
In that sin of selfish ego that belittles others because of difference racism
lies. In the sin of selfish ego peaceful protest turns to civil unrest as
personal agendas stoke anger, violence, and greed..
All this sinful selfishness pollutes faith and our world. The world is
polluted with so much misplaced faith that something extraordinary and outside
of us is needed for a change. That change will only come when we have faith in
something other than the things of man.
That is why Jesus’ words, “Fear no one,” for we are loved by God the Father.
With violence abounding, it’s a hard thing to fear no one, but, remember
this; each one of us is a dwelling place for God and His love. Each and every
one of us is an image of Christ.
It is the spirit of truth, the love from God we share with one another
that makes us a people of true faith. Our faith in Him is greater than the misplaced
faith in the world.
The sin of misplaced faith is not in all people. God the Father knows
that, He knows everything, even the number of hairs on your head. He is with us
all the time. He knows our faith. He knows our heart. He did not create us to be sad and lonely in this world.
God the Father is a good Father. The type of father every father should strive
to be. The type of mother every mother should strive to be. The type of person
everyone should strive to be.
Even with all the misplaced faith in this world, God has not forsaken
us. By His grace and the gracious gift of Jesus Christ our faith is revived.
For us, it involves a lot of praying and presence. Have faith, Jesus
promised that He is coming back.
In faith, pray and ask for God’s favor upon us, our neighbors, and the
world.
Be good, be holy, and have the faith to live your faith. Amen.
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