However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” Luke 18:8
There is a tension I’m beginning to experience as July 30th approaches and the report is that Emilie will still require several more weeks of NICU care before she is discharged. My prayer has always been, “Lord July 30th, her original due date, please send her home… healthy and whole.” And yet this place between what I believe by faith and what I’m told in the report is the battleground where, like many, my faith will live or die.
Yet I’m not surprised that I’m finding myself in this place of tension… this battleground. I’ve learned that in order for faith to be more than just wishful thinking it must be tested. It must be assailed by every human emotion. The natural realm must attack the very thing we’re believing God for in order for us to be proven worthy of God’s commendation, “Well done thou good and faithful.” And I am convinced that it’s this very battleground where the salvation of many will be lost.
I think Jesus knew this when He said, “However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” It’s as if He knew that those who will stand at the end will not be individuals of a certain religion or church. They won’t be people who look right, talk right, and worship right. But those who will be saved will be individuals who demonstrate unwavering faith.
Yet Jesus’ question implies that this faith will be hard to come by. That mankind will be driven more by the natural than the supernatural… that in the end, a raw belief in the power of God will be rare.
So rare that many Christian “believers” will classify those who demonstrate such radical faith as being idealist, unrealistic, and even delusional. Yet this misclassification only happens because most have never experienced the result of such radical faith.
Case in point: If we grew up in a community where immovable mountains were regularly moved, it would be much easier to believe that God can and will do the impossible. But because we don’t have these experiences to draw on, it becomes significantly more difficult to believe. Thus the only way to makes sense of that which makes no sense is to deny it. Not because its not possible, but because we’ve never seen it.
Yet I find it interesting that we don’t we apply this same experience test to our salvation. You see it’s culturally acceptable within the Christian community to believe that one day the sky will be filled with thousands of angels and that we will float towards heaven, never to return. But its not so acceptable to believe that contrary to a doctor’s report the prayer of faith can heal the sick. Or that by faith your marriage can be restored no matter how severe the infidelity.
My point is this: The nature of faith requires it to be tested. And contrary to the reality of our experience we must stand on God’s Word. For if we can believe God for salvation based solely on His Word in spite of the abundant evidence against us (i.e. our sins), then we must also believe God to do the impossible in every area of our life based solely on His Word. So whether you’re desiring to experience the impossibility of salvation or the simple restoration of a marriage, be it unto you according to your faith.
Emilie Grace 
I’m so thankful for your update on Emilie. I’ve been checking in and praying for her daily. I was having a conversation last night with a friend about faith. Your statements resonate completely with what I was saying to my friend. Stay in faith because we know what can and did happen in 3 days. Just as our Savior rose I will agree by faith that Emilie shall rise above her present circumstances to a greater state of health.
Camille
Dear Seth and Holly, you and Emilie Grace are always in my prayers. I am always so very blessed, inspired, and encouraged by your updates. My prayer is that your faith will not waver and that you will keep the thought in your hearts and minds that the mind of God is behind ALL things we experience in life. . . . And underneath are His everlasting arms. Trust God and His outcome.
Thanks again for your uplifting updates. Emilie Grace is such a cutie pie! She surely hasn’t given up the fight! Remember, our trials only strengthen our faith, so continue to grow in faith and may God continue to bless your beautiful family!!
Thank you for your words and sharing of your faith walk Pastor. The sermon today was significant for me and I long for a richer, deeper, unmovable faith, like Jesus. Believing that God will do the impossible. Looking forward to celebrating Emilie’s coming home from the hospital to her home with you and Holly.
Dear Seth & Holly, thank you for sharing updates on ‘ our’ baby. She is such an encouragement to my faith. Don’t grow weary in believing that God can do what He wants when He wants and His ways are not ours. I know you want your baby home with you and so does God…in His time. Lets continue to wait on the Lord. I keep you and your family in my daily prayers.
Praise the Lord! Such a timely message. I’ve been wondering how Emily Grace is doing. It’s really not man says. It’s what God says. He has the last word. Hold on to that last thread of Hope. God will come through for you! We’ll continue to pray for you All. God be with you.
Praise GOD! Seth. I was truly being authentic with God on this very issue. You know my testimony of writing the book “Why My Black Skin Matters.” and also being tired of the racial injustice in my child welfare work environment. You also know last year around the time you came to Canada I filed a complaint against my child welfare agency, which implicated 4 directors. That experience truly tried my faith. The theme I recieved from God was the same theme I continue to receive “Shelley Share your Story.” The result of sharing my story was that the investigation was completed and I was told to go back to the work environment I made a complaint about and the 4 directors continued to maintain their positions. I was also sent back to the team of two of the directors I filed a complaint about. I was so fearful to return to that environment and had to trust God’s word and not my feelings. God’s word that continues to encourage me to share my story. Since I have returned to the work enviornment I have had an encounter with a White Colleague who is struggling with cancer. She had asked if she could purchase my book entitled “WHY MY BLACK SKIN MATTERS.” I thought to myself. God are you serious? The book title would suggest the book wasn’t written for her, she’s white. To make a long story short. She purchased my book, read the entire book and proclaimed that she is a non chrisitan but, was so moved by the chapter I had written on spirituality, she said she cried when she thought about spirituality as it relates to her cancer. She said that was the chapter of the book where she said to herself “I want more.” More of what I asked? She replied more of that Jesus you describe in your experience!
I share my story to concur with you Seth, “will Christ find faith on the earth.” It truly is a battle ground to exhibit a faith that stands on God’s word, even though it goes against every human emotion. If I had experiences where I regularily saw God do the impossible I agree with you, it would be easier for me to believe. When I reflected on my life the times I have seen God do the impossible was 2002, when I graduated from Oakwood University when I was praying for something specific that only Gods power could allow to happen. Then God also demonstrated the impossible in 2009 after I struggled with fertility issues for over 5 years and now I am blessed with 2 beautiful children. Lastly the impossible was done in 2013 where God has used my book as an evangelism tool for a woman battleing with life and death because of her cancer in the story I shared above. I want to stress I never would have encountered my white work colleague without making a decision to return to my work environment on faith that “Gods rod and His staff would comfort me.” (Standing on His Word)
My point is similiar to yours in that I have seen the impossible hand of God 2002, 2009 and 2013. The power of God demonstrated in an impossible way has been too inconsistent in my life.
My desire is to live my life trusting the God of the impossible REGULARILY, so that my children and others may say it is easier to say to this mountain to move because I have regularily seen it in the Ramathe’s life or the Yelorda’s life.
May your family continue to inspire the world through your faith.
Be encouaraged by the stories in Luke 8: 22-56 I read them this morning for worship and it truly demonstrates the following:
When Jesus intervenes in any circumstance 3 things happen.
1) impossible things happen 2) He has something to teach and 3) Lives are transformed
God Bless and remember with Christ July 30, 2013 is POSSIBLE!
Pastor, and Holly, the journey is going to get easier, just let it take its course. The Living God, is ever before you to guide you, only good is going to come out of it.
Praise God from whom all blessings flow!