Only Believe
// George DeTellis, Jr.
Before Jesus came to raise Lazarus from the dead, Mary and Martha sent a message to Him: “Lord, the one you love is sick.ˮ The Bible does not say the one who loves You, Jesus.
“Great faith is often born out of the depths of fear.”
The Bible does not say the one who loves You, Jesus. Our relationship with God is not dependent upon our love for Him, but His love for us. “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.ˮ John 3:16
It takes courage to have faith in God. The first thing you must believe is that He exists. The second thing you must believe is that He loves us. There is only one thing that God asks of us—to believe in Him. Will you believe in Him? “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.ˮ Hebrews 11:6
Donʼt let a wave of fear from the storms of life come and wash away your faith in Jesus Christ. Great faith is often born out of the depths of fear. Every great story in the Bible has a hero in a desperate situation believing in a God of miracles. In our darkest hour, shaken by the fear of the facts that face us, we cry out in faith asking God for a miracle. When we think of faith, we imagine someone strong and courageous. But faith is often born out of fear or desperation. You might find yourself straddled on the horns of a life or death situation: if I donʼt have this surgery I may die...but if I have this surgery it might kill me.
During this pandemic, for many people, there is the dilemma of needing to go to a hospital. There is the fear of contracting the COVID-19 virus during a routine hospital visit. As believers we put our faith in God to protect us. Yet, the fear of death is real. I have a friend Dan who is having chemotherapy treatments to fight his cancer. He is working from home and there is the fear that every time he goes to the hospital for his chemotherapy treatments he may be exposed to the COVID-19 virus and die. As a Christian, Dan puts his faith in Jesus and believes that God will protect him in his time of need. Before Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead he asked Martha a question, “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?ˮ (John 11:25-26). Today, Jesus is asking you the same question…do you believe in Me? The eyes of the Lord search throughout the earth to be strong on behalf of the man or woman who believes in Him. God is a way maker. He can make a way where there is no way. Do you need a miracle in your life? Will you believe God? What you have planted in faith, donʼt dig up in doubt and unbelief. Our faith is the response to His declaration of love. All things are possible—only believe. ~George DeTellis, Jr.
