Lord of the Ring

Our discussion at Starbuck's tonight was good. The question was do we agree with the author's comments about how faith can be like a spider web. Our faith is anchored to many different things like God, experiences with our family, our friends, etc. I had to think about that for awhile. I know that my faith was strong as a teen. During my twenties, it was there but put on the back burner -so to speak- while I raised babies. I still went to church, I still believed, but it wasn't a relationship, it was a duty... like punching a time clock. When I hit my thirties, something happened. I came into contact with people who had a type of faith in Jesus that was tangible. They talked about Him like He was part of their everyday life not just something you discussed once a week. I was experiencing a different kind of Christian. I wanted to have a faith like that. Suddenly, I felt this need to read. Read my bible. Read devotional books. Read Charles Stanley. Read Corrie Ten Boom. I read 'This Present Darkness" (one of my all time favorites-I've read it 4 times.) I even read about Mother Teresa. I began listening to Christian music.... slowly the top 40 cds on the shelf had to make room for Stephen Curtis Chapman, Chris Rice, Avalon, Accapella, 4 Him, etc. I was beginning to get rid of things that were not God-related and began filling my thoughts and my spare moments with things that brought me peace, joy, love, kindness, praise, and forgiveness. My faith became a living thing that filled me with a confidence in my salvation and a deeper relationship with God. I look back on that faith-building time of my life and praise God that his spirit was alive in me and urging me on. I wouldn't have missed it for anything.

I know that my faith is grounded in Jesus but I also believe that my faith was/is molded by events, acts of service, people, books, music, and reading God's word. Faith is believing in something that you cannot see, but God knew that we needed tangible things to help us along. We were given bread, wine, baptism, acts of service, etc. The Jews were told to build stone altars to help them remember. He also gave them phalacteries to wear, commandments to have on their doorposts, tassels on the ends of their garments, festivals, altars, blood on the posts and lintels, bake and eat unleaven bread, use bitter herbs, there were commandments on stone, the rod that budded, the jar of manna, the ark, etc. etc. God even used a rainbow to remind us of His great promise.

Yes, those things were used in the Old Testament, but He is the same God today as He was yesterday. He created us and He knows what we need. We are human and we need reminders. We all need help increasing our faith. Jesus even commended people for asking him to increase their faith.

I have a silver ring that I wear every day. I bought this ring during what I call my "hungering and thirsting" time. It has the word FAITH engraved around it. Each time I see the ring I am reminded of who I am and what I believe. It helps me stay the course. It reminds me to pray. When I am stressed, I twist it around my finger and it calms me because I remember that it stands for faith and I have faith in God. God will see me through whatever is causing me to twist the ring. I know it's just a ring, but it is my own symbol of my commitment to God. My faith is in something I cannot see, but something that I believe in with all my heart, soul, mind and strength.

I can see where the spider web analogy might be appropriate. If my faith is "web based" then it has to be anchored to something. I have it anchored in Jesus Christ, son of the living God. May I always remember that.... with or without my ring.