When did the term 'faith' get reduced to the weak definition of merely 'believing in something'? Many who are said to have 'faith' - have it like one has a pair of shoes, or a car, or that trophy deer head on the wall. It's something theyhave, one more possession that they've collected along life's journey that they can sit back and admire. But for the true follower of Christ - Faith is much more than this - it must be - it has to be. For faith is not just a belief in God or that God exists - that's for the casual at heart. No, faith is so much more. Genuine faith means I will take risks - because faith is risk. Faith spoke when the three Hebrew children defied a king and told him that their God "would" deliver them from the furnace. Faith spoke when Jesus released storm canceling power in a boat one night on the Sea of Galilee - then rebuked the disciples for not speaking to the storm themselves. Faith spoke when Peter told a dead girl to simply "get up" in Acts 9.
Why don't we see the miraculous in America like seen on the mission field, like we read about in the Bible? Because we've forgotten what faith is. We've forgotten what it means to go out on a limb, and trust that God will meet us there. With a wink and a smile we tell someone we will pray for them - but whatever happened to stopping to lay hands on them right there and then asking them how they feel, is the lump gone, has the pain disappeared? You don't see that very much anymore - even in most of our churches. Why? Because that's risky. We might look stupid. We think 'what if nothing happens'? It's time to change our thinking: 'What if something does happen?
Jesus' commission to us from Matthew 10 still stands today: "Preach the kingdom of heaven is near. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give." This short list requires the currency of heaven to fulfill - faith - and that is spelled r-i-s-k.
