A co-worker was having a conversation with her son about spiritual things. Striving to express his present lack of both belief and commitment to Jesus, the young man said, “God isn’t in my life right now; He’s just in my big toe.”
Have you ever felt that way? Has doubt or lack of commitment left you with a serious dearth of belief? Jesus once encountered some people who chose not to believe in Him. What’s more, they were from His own hometown of Nazareth! (Mark 6:1). While some of the locals were “amazed” at Jesus’ powerful teaching, the unbelieving crowd was “deeply offended and refused to believe in Him” (Mark 6:3). They took offense that Jesus was acting and teaching in ways that didn’t jibe with His ordinary carpenter upbringing. It was that whole “a prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown” thing (Mark 6:4).
The result of their lack of belief (“C’mon, He’s just the son of that carpenter and Mary.”) led to a lack of experiencing Jesus’ power in their lives. We read that He placed “His hands on a few sick people and [healed] them” (Mark 6:5). Those healed must have shown true belief. But the bulk of the Nazarenes didn’t get to witness the fullness of His miraculous ways.
We, like the young man with “big toe” lack of belief, can also stymie the work of God and His Holy Spirit by our nonexistent faith. As one commentator put it, “Jesus’ miracles were not performances but the partial realization of God’s kingdom; entrance to that kingdom and its benefits requires repentance and faith.”
True belief will result in a relationship with Jesus that courses through every cell of your body (not just your big “piggy”) and paves the way for Him to work in and through you. Dipping your toe in the water simply won’t do it.
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Mark 10:17-31
More:
Read Matthew 8:8-13 to see the faith of a man to whom Jesus said, “Because you believed, it has happened.”
Next:
Why does God refuse to reveal His power to those who choose not to believe in Him? How do you balance God’s sovereignty and your need for genuine faith?
eppistle on August 24, 2011 at 7:21 am
Are you waiting until you are older to surrender your life to the Lord? Perhaps you are in college and you think, “This is the time that I need to really explore and open my mind to new things. I’ll wait until I’m out of college to dedicate my life.” But then you graduate from college and now you finally have money to buy all the nice things you wanted to buy and to do all the things you wanted to do. And so you think, “If I dedicate myself to the Lord now, I won’t be able to buy all those things or do all the things that I wanted to do. I’ll wait a few years and then I’ll dedicate myself to the Lord.” But in a few years, you meet the sweetheart of your dreams. And you think to yourself, “I know that the Lord doesn’t approve of everything in this relationship, but I really love this person and we deserve to enjoy intimacy with each other now. After we’re married then I’ll dedicate my life to the Lord.” But then once you get married, you think, “The two of us need to spend more time with each other. I don’t have time to dedicate my life to the Lord now. But after we’re married for awhile then I will.” But after you’re married for awhile, you have a children and you think, “We need to spend time together as a family. I don’t have time to dedicate my life to the Lord now. But after the kids are out of the house then I’ll dedicate my life to the Lord.” But once the kids are out of the house, you think, “I’ve been working so hard taking care of my kids for so long. I deserve a break for awhile, but after a few years of retirement then I’ll dedicate my life to the Lord.”
And then one day, you look into the mirror, and Ecclesiastes 12:3-5 has come to pass. Your bones are decaying, you’re missing some teeth, you can’t see so well, you can’t hear so well, you can’t get enough sleep, you live in fear, what hair you have is white, and you’ve lost all your passion for life. And then you say, “I’m too old to do any good.”
Richard Dehaan tells of an attractive young lady who was sent a box of wilted roses from a lady named Mrs. Mack. The girl was surprised about the condition of the flowers, but she thought that perhaps the delivery had been delayed because of an oversight. Later that day, she saw Mrs. Mack and thanked her for the flowers. Mrs. Mack smiled and said, “I’m glad you liked them. I cut them last Monday and enjoyed them all week, but this morning when I noticed they were beginning to get old and faded, I thought of you and had them delivered to your door.”
The young lady looked puzzled and hurt so Mrs. Mack said, “The other evening I heard you telling someone that you were going to become a Christian later, not while you are still young. You said you wanted to have a good time first. How selfish! You wish to give the Lord your life after the beauty, charm and vigor have faded and you have become old and wrinkled. I thought these roses would illustrate what you are doing to the Lord by waiting.” The girl learned her lesson from the wilted flowers and soon accepted the Lord as her Savior and dedicated her life to serve Him.
What about you? Are you waiting until you are older to dedicate your life to the Lord? King Solomon says, “Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, “I find no pleasure in them” (Ecclesiastes 12:1).
”
Clarence Wong on August 24, 2011 at 11:14 pm
thank you for the article. I really needed to repent to have God’s joy once again in my life. As u say, its not tomorrow or the day after that. Each day we delay in surrendering our life to God is a day apart from experiencing His joy in our life.
cyntre on August 24, 2011 at 10:23 am
Wow this is so beautiful, thank you for your comments , no one else could put this together more beautifully than you. I just have to share this with my friends.
Thanks again
tom felten on August 24, 2011 at 11:50 am
Agreed, cyntre and Gina. Eppistle, your comments reminded me of Paul’s words, “For God says, ‘At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you.’ Indeed, the “right time” is now. Today is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2).
daisymarygoldr on August 24, 2011 at 7:50 pm
Jesus could not do miracles in His hometown because of their unbelief. Familiarity breeds contempt. And it is not surprising that many atheists/nonbelievers actually grew up in Christian homes hearing and knowing all about Jesus.
Today, Jesus is honored everywhere, except in His own household and among His own family—the Church. Christians who doubt God are mostly the ones that only have the outward form of being Christians—but have never experienced the power of a relationship with Christ.
You are right; true belief courses through every cell of your body not just the big toe. It is just like, either one is pregnant or not pregnant. Either we have faith, or we do not have faith. There is no such thing as less or more faith.
It is not that our unbelief ties God’s hands and makes Him ineffective. As you pointed out He is sovereign. Unbelief means to push Him away from our lives. And the reason we refuse Him is—pride. God resists the proud. This is why God’s power is not revealed in our lives. Lack of faith greatly grieves the heart of God.
Daughter Of Triune God on August 24, 2011 at 11:17 pm
Yeah! Let us say Alleluai! Praise The Lord Most High God! I really benefit from reading all this. Thank you for having this devotional materials here!
winn collier on August 27, 2011 at 2:51 pm
Good words, Tom. I’ve been struck recently about the power of actually obeying God, simply doing what God says and letting the outcome be whatever it may be. We often wait for feelings or even results (oddly) first. But, as you say, obedience usually comes first.