faith begets faith

Tuesday morning I awoke to yet another day on the road. This time it was a trip from Flagstaff, AZ, where I was visiting my girlfriend Laura for the weekend, to Anaheim, CA. With my one bag packed I headed to the airport, prayed and said goodbye to Laura, and boarded the little 20-passenger plane. Thirty minutes later I was back in the airport after a mechanical failure before takeoff, wondering what God had in store for me yet again.

Life as a missionary is one filled with adventures, struggles, and realities. But I’m so good at complaining, falling into old habits, and living with unreal expectations, or even worse, completely dismissing my reality. But I’m learning that I’m not a missionary because I work with an organization called Campus Crusade for Christ. I’m a missionary because Jesus is a missionary.

Now to be quite honest with you, I often feel as though I’m not very good at my job. I’m constantly being slapped in the face with my lack of faith. But yet God remains faithful in my life and continues to lead me into His rest with His word.

Yesterday morning we had one of our regional directors, David, come share during our morning devotional time at the new staff field training conference. He shared from 1 Samuel 14 and the story of Jonathan. To put it plainly, Jonathan was a man filled with faith and trusting God to defeat the Philistines. He and his arm-bearer were the only ones who made the journey up the mountain to defeat the remnant of Philistine soldiers. But when Jonathan was faithful to follow what God was asking him to do, God started shaking the ground and causing the rest of the army to dissipate.

Once the other Israelites started seeing how God was moving and literally shaking the enemy, they stood up, fought, and defeated the Philistine army. Men came out of holes in the ground, Israelites who had become captives of the Philistines turned against their true enemy, and Saul, Jonathan’s father, finally became bold and led the Israelite army into battle. Isn’t it quite amazing how one man filled with faith, and acting in obedience to God, can beget faith for so many others?

I’m remembering that faith is the only way that we can please God, and even more simply, how we can experience joy in our lives. As Hebrews 11 says, “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”

I’d love to know, how are you trusting God to fill you with faith so that you may beget faith for others?