Blog 136 – 10.12.15

“You won’t get him wishing and a hoping, thinking and a praying…that won’t get you into his heart…all you’ve got to do is…” That plaintive love ballad from the early 1960’s speaks of longing. A favorite Psalm the Twenty Third begins with the words, “The LORD is my shepherd I shall not want.” But we do want all kinds of things and we seem so seldom satisfied. Why is that? Another verse from the Bible says, “You have not because you ask not or because you ask amiss.” I read a piece yesterday that the word in Aramaic, the language of the Gospels, translated “ask” has a meaning more like “demand” or “command”, the sense being not of pleading or begging but coming boldly  to claim your privilege or what is due you. Does a child beg a crust of bread from a loving parent? No indeed. I scream, we all scream for ice cream. “Every good and perfect gift comes down from the father of lights who does not change.” It is the rule not the exception: “Ask (demand/command) whatsoever you will, believing, and you shall receive it.” Understand the “shall” is a stronger more definite word than “will.”

I remember in Bible college a professor in New Testament Survey asking the class if they knew what turned Jesus on. Then he told the story of the Roman centurion who came to Jesus to ask him to heal his daughter. Jesus said, “Lead the way” and the centurion said, “No, Lord, you just say the word and she will be healed. I too am a man with authority. I say to this one come or go and am obeyed. Just say the word and it will be so.” And Jesus said, “Be it into you even according to your faith.” Jesus went on to say of the centurion who went home to find his daughter completely healed – “In all of Israel I have not found so great faith as his.” Faith is what turned Jesus on. Faith is what turns God/The a Universe on.

Faith is the key that unlocks the treasure house, fires the engines that bring dreams out of the ethos into reality. Ask, demand, command, believe and if you have trouble believing pray the little prayer of a person of lesser faith who came to Jesus but still turned him on – “Lord I believe but help my unbelief.” Some one has said that Jesus could perform miracles because he focused his mind and believed he could walk on water, turn water into wine, feed the multitude with a few loaves and fishes, and even heal and raise the dead. He entertained no doubtful thoughts to undo his faith.

And remember he said, “Greater works than I have done you will do.” I think it is time we got to work and let faith have its perfect work in you, in me, in the wide word. I think of the mother whose two ton Plymouth tipped over in an auto accident on her six year old son and how she called upon strength greater than her own to lift the car off her boy and by God she did it and so could we if we believed beyond a doubt.

Your friend and fellow traveler with the encouraging word – faith,
David White