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Growing up, a highlight of my year was always family vacation. For the majority of my life, our family vacations were spent at a beach house in Pawley’s Island, South Carolina, or somewhere in the middle of the Tennessee mountains. There was nothing I loved more than a family vacation with everyone together in a different location. However, there was one particular adventure that I was never willing to be a part of — and that was a family cruise.
The thought of being in the middle of the ocean with no land in sight left me completely paralyzed with fear. I was fine at a lake, or even on the beach, only going deep enough for the water to graze my knees. But to be on the ocean with no land in sight, that was something I wouldn’t ever consider doing.
In my mind, land represented hope. So whenever I could see land, I knew I could rely on my swimming ability and I would be okay. But going on a cruise would mean putting my trust in things that I couldn’t see. The interesting thing is that when I came to Christ, this is exactly how He wanted me to live my life, daily.
11 Now faith is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses]. - Hebrews 11:1 AMPC
See, most people have no problem going on cruises because even though they can’t see the land, they know that it’s there. God expects us to use this same logic when following Jesus, today.
Most people on cruises are known for having the time of their lives and being carefree because they know that the land is close. Similarly, as followers of Christ we must also live our lives in complete certainty, knowing that our Rock is close by.
7 For we walk by faith [we regulate our lives and conduct ourselves by our conviction or belief respecting man’s relationship to God and divine things, with trust and holy fervor; thus we walk] not by sight or appearance. - 2 Corinthians 5:7 AMPC
What I’ve realized is that most Christians live their lives based on what they can see, and this completely defeats the entire purpose of accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior. If you want to continue to live life on your terms, doing whatever you want to do, then why would you give your life to someone else?
20 I have been crucified with Christ [in Him I have shared His crucifixion]; it is no longer I who live, but Christ (the Messiah) lives in me; and the life I now live in the body I live by faith in (by adherence to and reliance on and complete trust in) the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself up for me. - Galatians 2:20 AMPC
Imagine if you got married and then told your wife that you would prefer to continue your life without her? When we get married our spouses know that they will be included in every decision that we make each day.
Imagine if I was following a ghost around, no one could see it, but I followed it all over the world — how crazy would my life look? Now, let’s think of the purpose of why God gifted us with the Holy Ghost, otherwise known as , the Holy Spirit.
14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. - Romans 8:14 AMPC
16 But I say, walk and live [habitually] in the [Holy] Spirit [responsive to and controlled and guided by the Spirit]; then you will certainly not gratify the cravings and desires of the flesh (of human nature without God). - Galatians 5:16 AMPC
25 If we live by the [Holy] Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. [If by the Holy Spirit we have our life in God, let us go forward walking in line, our conduct controlled by the Spirit.] - Galatians 5:25 AMPC
4 Then Jesus was led (guided) by the [Holy] Spirit into the wilderness (desert) to be tempted (tested and tried) by the devil - Matthew 4:1 AMPC
Our lives are not supposed to look secure to the natural, worldly people. If our lives look secure and steady to the people around us, it is only because we still have our lives in that hands of man (ourselves). However, if your life looks like at any given point it could fall apart, but you are constantly seeking the wisdom and direction of God, this is the evidence that your life is being held together by hands that can’t be seen.
20 Then He came to a house [in Capernaum], and a crowd formed again, so [many people] that Jesus and His disciples could not even eat a meal [together]. 21 When His own family heard this they went to take custody of Him; for they were saying, “He is out of His mind.” Mark 3:20-21 AMP
What I’ve come to realize is that most people depend on “land” (or what they can see) because they have no relationship with the Rock who created it.
The question of the day: How can you say you believe in someone that you haven’t seen, if you continue to live life based off what you can see?