A few weeks ago I wrote about the need/opportunity to practice the discipline of “watching” for God’s work in and amongst us. As I have been working at watching myself I find myself wanting to see. We watch so we can see God’s work. This implies we have the ability to see, that our eyes are open enough to see what God is doing. If we are spiritually blind, no matter how much we watch we will not see. We need eyes to see.
I am always amazed when I walk the woods with someone who is experienced in the outdoors. Everyone is watching as we walk, but it is the most experienced people in the woods who actually see things that many of us miss. It may be a bird, a dropping on the trail, a sign of an animal’s presence, or seeing animals that the rest of us miss. It’s the practice of watching and looking in this world that provides the sight necessary to see these unseen things. The question is in the spiritual life what gives us the sight like those who can see things in the woods the rest of us miss?
What is it that opens our eyes spiritually so we can see God at work? As I pondered this question I read through the book of Matthew and came across a couple of sayings of Christ that seem to provide the answer, but not in an obvious way. These two sayings of Christ are found in Matthew 17:14-21 and 21:18-22. Both sayings deal with faith and the consequences of lack of faith. They, at least for me with my theological bent, are very challenging verses. They are challenging because Jesus seems to imply, depending on how you read them, that God’s miraculous work is dependant our faith. If we do not have enough faith God can’t wither a fig tree or throw a mountain into the sea. Troubling for me is that God would be dependant on my faith (I’m afraid He could not accomplish much with my faith). The good news is God doesn’t need me or my faith to throw mountains into the sea. So what is Christ saying (at least in part- I’ll leave room for the possibility of our participation in mountains jumping into the sea) about faith? I believe He is saying that faith is required for us to see what God is doing. How many mountains jump into the sea and we do not see it as God’s work? Faith is what is required to see and seeing is the goal of watching.
To watch, we need to see, to see we need faith. The greater our faith the more we will see of God’s work in and amongst us. This is a much more comforting thought to me then the responsibility to have enough faith for God to work. God is not dependent on me but I am dependent on Him for my sight so while I watch I can see Him at work. And when I see Him at work I can praise Him and give Him the glory before men. I can then testify to the reality of happenings of the world before the world. This is why the Hebrews writer says in 11:6 “And without faith it is impossible to please God.” What pleases God? Our praises, our worship, our adoration for Him. This happens best when we watch and see through faith His work in and among us.
So how do we have this faith so we can see? First acknowledge the source of faith- it is a gift from God (Ephesians 2:8). Secondly as a gift we should ask Christ for it as the disciples did in Luke 17:5 when Christ once again was challenging them to greater faith. They cried out “Increase our faith”. Finally at the foundation of faith is trust, we need to step out when we can not see trusting we will have sight as we need it? Faith is an action word, a verb, something we do. And in this context we need to watch, which I wrote about in part 1 is also a verb, trusting we will see, having faith that God can and does throw mountains into the sea, we just need the faith to see Him doing it as we watch.
As we spoken and written about we are in challenging times, times when I have this strong sense that we will see God do surprising work in and among us. One of those surprising works I now believe will be the growth in our faith as a ministry and as individuals as we diligently watch through faith to see His transforming work in our lives and in our work. And if our ultimate purpose is to please Him, we want our faith to increase so we can.
Finally, I hope you are beginning to see God’s hand at work in SpringHill. I have, sometimes when pointed out by someone who has better sight then me on the trail. And every time I have been able to see, I have praised God and been encouraged in heart to know He is doing what he is doing. Let’s keep watching, lets pray for faith that we can see and please Him.
Life and Ministry by Michael Perry 