Faith

You know faith is kind of a relative term.  Faith is so easy to talk about and so easy to walk in when things are going the way that you want them to.  When we have money in the bank, it's easy to pay our tithes because it really doesn't require any type of sacrifice or even really stepping out in faith for that matter.  When our health is good, we really sometimes don't even find time to pray, but we still have faith.  But, things change when we get the news that there is an illness, or when we have to decide which bills can be paid this month, this is when faith really kicks in.

The Bible says that faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not yet seen.  This past week, I can honestly say that I saw faith to its fullest meaning.  I have some very dear friends of many years who are great ministers for the Lord.  My friend, Angelia Pack Carpenter and her husband, Thomas, have been faithful workers for the kingdom of God their entire lives.  Angelia is the daughter of ministers, who have preached the word all over the world; Thomas is the son of ministers, parents who have faithfully preached the Gospel. 

Last Thursday, I received a call that Thomas and Angelia's son, Buck, had been in a terrible car wreck, along with Thomas' mother.  Just a couple hours later, I was called and told that neither one of them, 8 year old Buck, or his grandmother, Sister Nelma Carpenter, survived the accident.  I drove to Little Rock late Tuesday to attend their funerals on Wednesday morning.  When I took the exit off of the highway to get to the church, I couldn't figure out what the holdup was in getting through, it was people waiting in line to get parked for the funeral for Buck and Nelma.  The funeral director told me that they had well over 3,000 people come by Tuesday evening for visitation and I'm sure there were well over 1,200 at the funeral.  I was prepared to cry, which I did, because it was so sad to think that these Godly lives were taken so soon.  But, when I saw Thomas, Angelia, Rev. Carpenter (Nelma's husband), all of the Carpenter family, Aaron and Jeanette Pack and their families, I was reminded of what faith really is.  Faith is still lifting your hands and thanking God for His goodness and mercy, even in the valley's of our lives. 

When the service started, the congregation stood as the family entered.  Once the family was in and seated, the music minister invited everyone to remain standing as the sang the opening hymn.  They began singing the old song "Oh, I Want To See Him", and you could definitley feel the presence of the Lord in that place.  The family lifted their hands in faith and began praising God for the lives of their loved ones, and not only for their lives here, but for the faith they have of seeing them again in Heaven.  The ministers began to talk about Sister Carpenter and Buck and told many stories of how they had influenced so many people.  More songs were sang and their lives were truly celebrated as this was not a funeral, but a celebration for their homegoing and a celebration that we're going to see them again.

I don't know how I would handle the same situation if I were in their shoes, and I don't think you can even begin to think of how you would handle it unless you've faced that same thing.  To lose your mother and son in an accident and still be able to stand and proclaim to the world and those watching that Jesus is still in control and He is still the master of the wind, folks, that is faith in action.

How do you handle the trials that come your way?  Do you allow your faith to grow in the Lord and allow God to give you the strength that you need?  Do you stand and still say "thank you Lord for all you've given us and blessed us with" when your world is crashing around you?  I think if we all strive harder to truly live by faith and not by sight, I know that God will begin doing the unimaginable in each one of our lives!!

Just some thoughts......WH