Is 7:1-9 / Mt 11:20-24
By the very nature of the human condition, we get caught up in the little stuff. Somebody has to pick up the dry cleaning, pay the light bill, fill the car with gas, and carry out the trash. Those things don’t get done by themselves. As a result, we can get caught up in a very short-term view of life, gobbled by details, and can miss the longer view. This can be particularly lethal if things are not going too well.
We are made to live in the present. That’s where we belong and where our life’s work is to be done. But unless we can see the present from the vantage point of a larger meaning and purpose, the present will fall apart in our hands. Faith alone can give us that larger purpose and can salvage even the most painful and wretched of times. Faith, our trusting connection to the Lord, allows Him to shine His light into our darkness, and enables us to see our lives through His eyes.
Our faith-connection with God is not self-sustaining. It needs to be nurtured and carefully tended. And Isaiah warns us of what can happen if our faith falters: “Unless your faith is firm, you will not be firm!”
So cherish your faith-connection with the Lord more than anything in your life. Give it prime time every day, and you’ll never lose your way.
