Today’s Verse—Proverbs 16:3
Commit to the Lord everything you do. Then your plans will succeed.
Two-year-old Michael shuffled his feet toward the edge of the pool. He looked down at the water. Then he looked at his dad standing in the pool. His dad’s arms were opened wide.
“Come on, Michael. Jump! I’ll catch you, I promise!”
Michael inched a little closer to the side of the pool. He stopped looking at the water and looked into his father’s eyes. With every ounce of courage he could muster, he closed his eyes . . . and jumped.
That was a big moment for Michael, wasn’t it? But you know what? As big a moment as it was for Michael, it was an even bigger one for Michael’s father. Michael trusts me, he probably thought. My son knows I will be there.
God loves it when we take leaps of faith into His arms as well. God has done so much to prove Himself to us, and when we trust Him enough to take a risk, He’s pleased.
So what kinds of leaps can you take to show your faith in God? Is there a lonely kid at your school or in your neighborhood that you can befriend? It takes a leap of faith to reach out to someone you don’t know.
Your parents sometimes have to make leaps of faith with their jobs. You might have to move away from your home because your parents believe that God is calling your family somewhere else. Trusting your parents’ judgment instead of throwing a fit about moving is a leap of faith.
It’s hard, isn’t it? But if you decide to leap, God will be there to catch you!
Whit and Wisdom
Y’know, considering all the things God has done for us, you think it’d be easy to have faith in Him. But sometimes we have a hard time seeing or remembering what God has done. And even though we try not to have doubts, they show up anyway. Why? Well, one reason is that we can’t actually see God. Or can we?
The marvelous thing about God is that, even though we can’t see Him, we can see evidence of Him. The beauty He has created. The wonders of His creation. We can see how His love fills people around us. We can pick up His Word—the Bible—and read the testimonies of His great work throughout history.
That’s why we need to give our faith a daily workout. Look around you. Stop for a moment and ask God to remind you that He’s around. That’s how we keep faith alive. And as our faith grows, so will our experience of God.
Family Challenge #6—Finding Faith History
As a family, compile stories of faith. Call your grandparents and pastor and see if they have witnessed, or lived out, a strong faith during difficult times. Search the Internet and the library about people of faith like John Bunyan, William Wilberforce, or Fanny Crosby. When you’ve finished gathering stories, share them with your family. Then pray to be a family of strong faith.
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Exercising Faith Theme Memory Verse—Hebrews 11:1
Faith is being sure of what we hope for. It is being certain of what we do not see.