Shaky Faith

Posted on by Gary Fultz

It’s raining said the farmer as he spit into the wind…(An old saying on the farm). Yes, it’s a perception saying.

I took the above picture in the wind on my regular camera settings for still shots. Not very clear is it? In fact I spent part of the afternoon taking high speed pictures and captured some excellent mediocre shots. My subject matter was all over the place, often in the same picture.

black eyed susan eml
I think they all moved slightly

This brings me to some questions we must all ask ourselves if we claim to be people of faith. “Does the subject of your faith change? When you feel like your faith is on shaky ground is it because your faith is really on your circumstances? recent events? other people? your faith community? The cataclysmic event that just happened in your life?Rocks Cry eml I took a picture of a rock in our yard. It doesn’t move in the wind. Awhile back I wrote on it but that’s another time (The rocks cry out one of my first blogs way back).

Here is the deal. When others see us, watch us and take a look at our faith. what people see is a blurred confusing image if the subject of our faith is not Jesus Christ. He is our Rock and our salvation. We are to fix our eyes on Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith and put to the side everything that gets in the way Hebrews 12:2 

When Our Faith is all on Jesus, others can still see Jesus through our storm. 

I put together some pictures taken in high winds from this afternoon. They may not be perfect but each one was in a protected niche from most of the wind. God is our shelter, rock, provide, protector,and I could go on…You get the picture. (Click for slide show)

 

I imagine God shelters us in ways we do not even see or understand. Consider a few lines from the old hymn “He hideth My Soul”

A wonderful Saviour is Jesus my Lord
A wonderful Saviour to me
He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock
Where rivers of pleasure I see
He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock
That shadows a dry, thirsty land
He hideth my life in the depths of his love
And covers me there with his hand (repeat)
 
A wonderful Saviour is Jesus my Lord
He taketh my burden a-way
He holdeth me up and I shall not be moved
He giveth me strength as my day 
One more thought: I put my camera on a tripod for getting clear pictures whenever I can. People who watch our lives to see if Jesus is real (and they do) often have enough things shaking their world as it is. Hey, who among us sees clearly? Let’s not present a moving target of faith for shaky people trying to get the picture.
When Our Faith is all on Jesus, others can still see Jesus through their storm. 

Gary

Check out the video of the haven of rest quartet G.W posted in the comments section. “He Hideth My Soul”

12 thoughts on “Shaky Faith”

  3. “He Hideth My Soul.” I like that old hymn.

    So true my friend. The Lord can fit our storms into a tea cup through the peace of our faith in Him. When we don’t shake and blur like your first photo here, the world is likely to take notice.
    But the blur of even that photo produced some amazing color. And I remember that rock you spoke of before.

    “I tell you if these be quiet, even the stones will cry out (in praise)”. Rock: “If you don’t, I will!” A great keeper for a great reminder!

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    1. I like that G. W. The Lord can fit our storms into a tea cup through the peace of our faith in Him.
      Yes, There is something special about the fall colors even blurry in the wind. Our crop of sumac blush very red quickly every fall.
      God gave us this very special place in the middle of nowhere and plopped a big rock in the yard as a reminder. (Then he grinned) I’m quite certain of it.
      yep, great hymn. Thanks for posting that video. Great Quartet, My dad loved them.

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  9. I don’t mind at all Ann, Every church should have a rock like that by the front door, and it’s good for those of us who can use it as an honest gospel conversation starter.

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  10. I came back to read this again today! For one, the photographs are awesome!The message is one we surely can ponder each and every day. When we focus on Jesus, the storms are a whole lot easier; we are not blown away in the wind, and with Him we can stand our ground We can be a witness to others, and surely they can be a witness to us.

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  11. Thanks so much Linda. I do believe we were created like with a “Fixed focus”
    When our focus is on Jesus, He is in focus and everything else falls into correct focus as well. Not so oddly, when others see our view of Jesus they begin to see as well. A focused life is worth way more than a book written about it, but writing is a start I guess

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