Lack of Faith is also Powerful:Breakfast with the Word on Luke 1:5-25

 

 

Lack of faith in God is simply having no faith in God. This is when there is an inability to trust in whatever God can do in our lives. It is always easy to lose faith and to have no faith in God. There are times when we seem not to accept that God can truly do something in our lives especially when the situation at hand looks impossible.

 

There are some occasions we feel like losing our trust in God’s love and providence. This sometimes happens when we analyse our present situation from our human point of view. The nature of the situation at hand often tempts us to doubt God’s ability. Lack of faith is characterised with uncertainty, doubt and inability to trust and have confidence in God’s omnipotent power. Just like faith is powerful, lack of it is also powerful.

 

The Gospel

 

Luke 1:5-15 provides us with the angel’s visitation to Zechariah announcing the birth of John the baptist. Zechariah and His wife Elizabeth are religious and righteous in the eyes of God. Both of them also belong to the priestly class. One fact about their condition is that not just that they have no child for years but they are advanced in age. So the possibility of having any child from the human point of view is highly impossible.

 

When the angel appears to Zechariah in the temple with the news of the birth of John the Baptist, Zechariah did not believe the message of the angel. Instead of believing what the angel says, Zechariah was pointing to the circumstances that could make the angel’s message look impossible to achieve, referring to their old age.

 

His unbelief leads to a punishment from God. The angel says ‘because you do not believe, you will be speechless until the day it will take place’. This in effect shows what unbelief can also do. There is nowhere in the bible Jesus praises people or individuals who have no faith but there are many references where Jesus rises to people’s situations to heal them because of their strong faith in Him. Lack of faith in God can limit His blessings. This happens when we live in doubt and unbelief instead of strong faith in His power.

 

A Little Digest

In Mathew 13:53-58, Jesus takes a little stroll to His hometown. Coming into the city of His own, He began to teach them. His people were marvelled at His wisdom but instead of believing in Him, they were busy questioning His source of wisdom and power. Many could not believe in Him because they know His parents. Instead of praising God for their encounter that day, they even took offence at Jesus (Mathew 13:57). And the bible says that because of their lack of faith He did not do many miracles there.

 

Faith in God is the secret of healing, miracles, divine surprises etc but lack of it can limit them. We do not wait on God to do something for us when we do not truly believe in Him to do that. God dislikes unbelief. When we lack faith in someone, it simply means, we do not have any trust in the person. Therefore, our lack of faith in God shows we do not trust God to do what we pray for.

Lack of faith in God is what makes us worry, complain and blame God over and over again. If we have strong faith in Him, we would always smile over our problems, not many things will perturb us because we know that His mighty power is beyond the current situation. This is when we know that God’s power is real and not just fabricated.

Secondly, we are also created in God’s image. There is nothing one can gain when we live in worry, complaints, excuses, blaming God and blaming our circumstances. Many today do not even trust themselves or their ability to conquer their challenges. Because of that, we allow ourselves to be swallowed by them. In us is also the image of God and being in the image of God, we are to rise above our challenges than permit them to subdue us.

Finally, never lose hope in life. Everything in life has its proper time to come to fulfilment. This is what the angel told Zechariah in verses 20 of today’s gospel.

 

Faith always comes in advance. So instead of losing it, hold it strong. Like the angel visits Zechariah when he least expects, God can surprise you when you least expect. Have faith and do the much you can.

May God bless you dearest and give us the grace to remain strong in Him than losing It. May He continue to abide with you. Amen.

 

You may read

 

When We truly belong to God

Mary’s Yes and Our Yes to God

The Spirit of Christmas