FAITH FACTOR

The family gathered around the table for the Sunday meal after church. Young James appeared as though he was deep in thought. Finally, he said, “Dad, we have thermometers and barometers. Wouldn’t it be great if we had faithometers?”

“What do you mean, Son?” he asked.

“Well, the preacher talked about having faith and trusting God to answer our prayers. How do we know how much faith we have when we pray and don’t get any answers?” he asked. The father was unable to respond to his question. But our Lord did.

Jesus once said, “You can pray for anything and if you have faith you will receive it.” This implies that Jesus is making an unconditional guarantee that God will hear and answer our prayers.

Prayer does three things for us. First, it enables us to do or accomplish things that we may have thought were beyond our abilities because we do not claim God’s power and strength. Second, it can also enable us to accept life as Jesus did when He asked His Father to “let this cup pass from me,” and it didn’t. It was the agony of the cross that led to the glory of the resurrection. So, sometimes we have to suffer and do without. And, third, it prepares us to endure things and ultimately discover that “His grace is sufficient.”

Prayer: Teach us, Father, to pray earnestly in faith believing, trusting only in You. May we come to accept the fact that Your grace and mercy can sustain us until we know Your will. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture For Today:    You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it. Matthew 21:22