Testing, testing....1,2,3

How time flies! I can’t believe my last post was on 4 August! It’s been a good couple of days. Last week Monday we had a public holiday, which resulted in an awesome long weekend! Mariette and I decided to squeeze everything we could out of this weekend by taking our bikes out on the road again. As you’ve probably already read; I am a little ‘out of balance’ and have stopped cycling outdoors and was stuck to the trainer indoors. Going out on the road again was glorious! We rode our old route of 40km without any incident. We’re very excited about the big progress I’ve made thus far and are thrilled to start training for the ‘Momentum 94.7km’ race on 15 November 2009.

As if this wasn’t enough excitement for one weekend, our eldest son brought home his girlfriend for the first time. Ivan is nineteen and completely smitten for the very first time. Oh, what a wonderful time for all of us! Our son has a constant smile on his face and his girlfriend is an absolutely beautiful person. Obviously Ivan is on Cloud No 9, our other son’s are enjoying the love-sick changes in their brother and we as parents are both elated and miserable. It is a bittersweet thing to see your children grow up and become adults. It is wonderful to see them come into their own and to surprise you with their wisdom and unique outlook on life, it is also heart-rending to realise that your job is done and that it’s time to let go… God has a magnificent plan in place for this son of ours, as He does for all three of them…

Ever noticed how awful it is when your smack in the middle of a trial or test, and how immense the joy is when you’ve passed through it and have gained so much because of it? These past few days I’ve really been thinking about these tests that we are constantly faced with, times that all of go through at some time or another, or in some way or another. One of the best explanations of testing I found in James 1: 2-4:

“(2) Consider it wholly joyful, my brethren, whenever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptations. (3) Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience. (4) But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be [people] perfectly and fully developed [with no defects], lacking in nothing.”

Understanding now that our true identity is not determined by our fathers to the flesh, but is determined by the Rock, Jesus Christ, the Firstborn of the whole of creation (Col 1:17), we need to understand that the testing of our faith has to do with this truth. (To get a better picture of this, please read “Hewn from the rock”). To start off with, let us quickly look at what faith is and what it is not: faith is not something that is generated by my emotions, will or mind; it is a spirit conviction of my true identity in Christ, because of His Finished work on the cross, through the burial, in the resurrection and in the ascension. And the way that I become more and more aware of this, is through tests and trails, together with hearing the Word. (Rom 10:17)

This is so important to understand because this is the way we in which we, the righteous of God, will live in this life, by faith. (Hab 2:4; Rom 1:17; Gal2:20; Heb 10:38). So why is our faith tested? To be what we were created to be, perfectly and fully developed, lacking in nothing. This is the way in which God sees us in Christ, and by seeing as He sees through His Spirit, we can be what He created us to be in reality (in time)! Read the following few Scriptures:

John 1:16 "For out of His fullness (abundance) we have all received [all had a share and we were all supplied with] one grace after another and spiritual blessing upon spiritual blessing and even favor upon favor and gift [heaped] upon gift."

Colossians 3:11 " [In this new creation all distinctions vanish.] There is no room for and there can be neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, [nor difference between nations whether alien] barbarians or Scythians [who are the most savage of all], nor slave or free man; but Christ is all and in all [everything and everywhere, to all men, without distinction of person]."

Colossians 2:9-10 "For in Him the whole fullness of Deity (the Godhead) continues to dwell in bodily form [giving complete expression of the divine nature]. (10) And you are in Him, made full and having come to fullness of life [in Christ you too are filled with the Godhead--Father, Son and Holy Spirit--and reach full spiritual stature]. And He is the Head of all rule and authority [of every angelic principality and power]."

There are a few more Scriptures I can give you, but I would like to challenge you to trust the Holy Spirit to lead you in exploring your true identity in Him! This is why we are tested – so that we can clearly see who we really are, as revealed by the Word of God. It is also very important to see that when the Bible talks about grace, it is clear that grace is not a reward, but a gift. This might sound as if this is just another repeat of what we know, but we have been taught that we have to do certain things to deserve it, but God has given us His grace, freely!

There is so much more to say about the testing of our faith, but I will stick to this subject for a while. May this help you to see Him better, and understand that He really loves you!

I understand that some have tried to leave comments without success, you can e-mail me at warrengraham@mweb.co.za- but please do not stop trying!