My personal favorite is “Miracle on 34th Street.” “Miracle” is a wonderful movie about a young girl who lives with her mother in New York City. The girl (Natalie Wood as Susan) has been raised to be practical; her mother doesn’t fill Susan’s head with fantasies such as fairy tales. However the man hired to be Santa Claus at Macy’s Store, where Susan’s mother works, claims to be none other than the real Santa. A neighbor who is a lawyer represents “Santa Claus” and ends up proving in a court of law that “Santa” is the true and real Santa.
Along the way Susan’s mother ends up believing and trying to convince her daughter to believe. She tells Susan “Faith is believing in things when common sense tells you not to.” Susan is disillusioned when Santa doesn’t bring the gift she wants, but she continues to chant, “I believe, I believe, it’s silly, but I believe” to convince herself. And Santa does come through in the end.
Aren’t we a lot like Susan? It’s hard to have faith. We live in a cynical world where “seeing is believing.” Even if we are lucky enough to have faith “when common sense tells you not to,” when we don’t get the things we want, we can end up chanting “I believe, it’s silly, but I believe” or worse “I don’t believe in you anymore.”
The bible tells us in Hebrews 11:1, “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” I have found that putting my faith in God is a safe and secure place to put it.
My faith provides me a Father, a heavenly Father who I can go to with my prayers and who cares for me. My faith provides me a family, my church family with like-minded believers who offer me love, support and fellowship when I need it. My marriage and parenting are also improved by God providing a trust worthy place to get advice, the Bible. Finally, I am certain even without seeing that my faith will provide me a heavenly home when my days on earth are done. A perfect home, better than any dreamed up in fairy tales or provided in those Christmas classics.
Through my faith, I have received the gift of God’s grace. Christmas is over, but that’s one gift I won’t be returning.
Ephesians 2:8 -- “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.”
6 comments:
I try to respond as in Scripture: "I believe. Help my unbelief."
Because there are times when it seems as though there is something "blocking" me from God, although Jesus has opened all the lines. You have not because you ask not, the Bible also says, and it is my responsibility to ask for "a tangible" if I can't see where God is leading. I should also pray for ears to hear Him so that the "tangible" is recognizable! In our circumstances, we tend to close off all our senses--common sense, too!
This was very nice writing today!
Good words Kelly. We need to be sure that the only person we put our faith in, and teach our children to put their faith in is Jesus Christ.
It's very popular to use the word Believe these days but if we are not believing in Christ then it is a futile gesture that produces nothing.
This was SO good. I especially liked your last sentence. What a great way to pull it all together.
Oh, and that faith quote is one of my favorite quotes too.
Well said, Kelly. Warm post!
Our faith is in the Faithful! That's a sure foundation and hope!
The righteous shall live by faith.
Gal. 3:11
I have never seen that whole movie, but want to! I need to just rent it some time.
I read today that for a brief time at Christmas everyone believes something - even skeptics believe there is something good going on. We believe, of course, that it is Jesus. That was a bit of a faith-building thought for me.
Good post.
I agree with Edie. I think so many people lack faith today because they have too many times put their faith in the wrong things and have been "let down." Our Father in heaven is a "sure thing." He tells us in his word that He is the only one we should depend on or have faith in. Faith comes with relationship. Once we know Him, we know we can believe Him. But you make a great parallel when you show that often we have to remind ourselves out loud, "I believe..."
Thanks Kelly!
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