A Sure Foundation

We live in times of great uncertainty in our jobs, our finances, or our relationships. This can cause us to feel shaken, unsettled, or even insecure in our faith. At such times, God wants us to know he is a sure foundation. Everything around us can and will be shaken, but he remains steadfast.

In the sixth chapter of Mark, following the powerful healing of the woman with the issue of blood (see Mark 5:25-34) and the healing of the synagogue ruler’s daughter (see Mark 5:35-43), Jesus went to his hometown where he encountered outright unbelief.

I have always been astonished by the following verses: “And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. And he marveled because of their unbelief” (Mark 6:5-6, ESV).

This verse blows my mind out of the water. How can a sovereign God have his hands tied by the unbelief of human beings? The truth is that Jesus was sending a message to that town, saying in essence, “Sorry, but others have such faith that they’ll cut a hole in their roof to lower a sick man down to me so I can heal him; and you don’t even believe that I can heal.”

Let this be a warning to all. Do not leave off reading this message with any unbelief in your heart.

Of course, there are times in our lives when God may choose to act in a way contrary to our desires. We pray, plead, believe for the Lord to intervene, and he simply goes in another direction. That does not mean God wants us to abandon wrestling with him in faith. We should not fall into never asking, never hoping, trying to live without desires.

Do you still believe Jesus can answer your prayers? Do you believe he will act in love for you? No matter what your trial is, no matter how far beyond hope it seems, he is ready to intervene. Ask him to breathe faith into you.