It was early Monday morning, and I was on the feeder road coming into the office, when the following passage came across the speakers.

Mark 9:22 And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”
Mark 9:23 And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.”
Mark 9:24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!”

You know, it is becoming somewhat consistent that as I am driving in the morning, listening to the Good Book, a passage lights up in my head, a thought is triggered and as I park my little beast, I come to realize that the Word has spoken to me once more.

Let me try to explain.

As I read this passage many time previously, I considered this man’s faith to be like a factory packaged commodity, a generic, one size fits all type of decision or reaction to a person or to God.

Joe and Frank and Tom, along with this father all have the same pre packaged generic faith, and this understanding of mine made it difficult to comprehend the fathers plea to help his unbelief. My goodness – You said you had faith, why confess your unbelief in the next breathe.

Well there may be many reasons for this mans statements, but as I stepped out of my car, it occurred to me that this man’s faith was expressed for a reason – he wanted something.

Was the man admitting the weakness of his faith, that it was self serving and not God honoring? Maybe, but that may be assuming he understood Jesus as God, and I’m not sure he was there yet. One thing for sure, he had an agenda, and it was immediate! He would say anything to save his son. I know I would.

And even with this confession, with a faith that was not 100% pure, a faith that may be considered somewhat hypocritical, the Lord reached out to this family and delivered this man’s son.

So as I pondered on this incident, I started to do a bit of self reflection, remembering times when I exercised faith in the Messiah, driven by various motivations

a Self Serving Faith

It goes without saying that I identify with this man in the area of self serving faith. Seeking the Lord for my will, not thine. It is a low bar of spiritual maturity, but as the afflicted son’s father admitted, I too want to confess.

Help my unbelief.

a Fear based Faith

This faith is somewhat linked to my previous description, for to try to exercise faith due to fear is first of all, to be centered on myself, and secondly to consider the King has left His throne. How can any faith that is born out of fear, (if it can be called faith), be of any value when thought of in this light. He is on the throne, and He is the King. If I believe that, fear will not control me constantly.

A favorite verse that helps me when an overwhelming fear attacks my heart is in the Proverbs.

Proverbs 3:25 Do not be afraid of sudden terror or of the ruin of the wicked, when it comes,

I usually remember it as “Fear not sudden fear”, for the old KJV phrased it that way, and it has often calmed my heart, helping me exercise my weak faith in the Strong One.

A Truth based Faith

Truth. This motivation, or basis of belief has strong foundations (if the Word is the authority), yet it can be cold, hard and heartless. Pure unadulterated doctrine has been my passion for decades, yet I found I became a believer who hunted for error, who set unreasonable limits for others, while allowing gaping wholes in my own faith. This type of faith can blind the saint, puffing them us and making them offensive, off putting and ones to avoid. After all, a judge doesn’t attract guilty people!

Yet the Lord speaks of the One who is full of grace and truth, and for the remaining years I have on this blue ball, that mixture of grace and truth will be a goal to pursue. To express truth in a gracious manner is to mirror the Master, but it isn’t simply the message that comes out of my mouth. It is the life that is lived

a Love based Faith

I have a hard time relegating “truth faith” to a secondary position of faith in my mind, but as I am aging in the Lord, there appears to be a better faith, a cleaner, simpler, truer faith that I see on the horizon. It is a faith that is gracious, residing in truth – should I use the term “dwelling” in truth. It is a faith that is somewhat based on a life of walking with the Lord and experiencing His faithfulness, His goodness, His continual interjection into our lives for our good. A faithful ministry in each of our lives providing mercy in the midst of trial, bounty in the midst of difficulties, and rest in the times of stress and strain.

Yes, for a faith to be based in love is the best. And even in my description above, I was thinking of a faith that was fueled by my love for Him.

But ….. There is an even greater faith as I think on this topic.

A faith that rests in His love for us. That faith is unshakable, unrelenting and everlasting.

You know – I have spent over 1000 words to get to this core truth. John has told us this truth in seven simple words.

1 John 4:19 We love because he first loved us.

Yes – for a faith based on His love for us! The best faith, I would suggest. The best!!!

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