CHAMPIONS OF FAITH??
Champions of faith is how we refer to the Old Testament personalities mentioned in the eleventh chapter of Hebrews. And my unrelenting desire has always been to become like one of them. I believe it’s a godly desire so I can confidently pray for it and trust God to say Yes… and I have been doing so for so very long now. And I know God keeps saying Ye, yes, yes. So, why does my faith still sometime wobble at the smallest challenges? Am I ever likely to get to the level of these champions of faith if I wobble at these little issues? Mmmm…. I wonder if they also wobbled in faith before it grew to this great, impressive and remarkable Faith achieved these incredible feats? Worth checking out, right?
Or am I wrong to feel somewhat relieved at this thought? Well, I did check it out and I just may have a point! Surprise, surprise! Come to think of it I wonder why the Bible did not hide such accounts? The wobbling faith of the champions of faith are evident in their stories. This is one of the aspects of the Bible that makes me trust it so much! The amazing Transparency and Honesty in what it recounts.
This makes me often think of our Lord Jesus Christ words specifically in John chapters 14 and 16. In John 14, verse 2, Jesus said clearly “IF it were not so, I would have told you; I go to prepare a place for you… He even repeated a similar statement in John chapter 16, verse 7: “Nevertheless, I tell you the Truth: It is expedient for you that I go away: for If I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you, but if I depart, I will send him unto you…”
Such insistence on the Truth! Such a strong desire to reassure you and me! The most emotion-laden part of His discussion with His inner circle after the betrayer had left! Just goes to buttress His declaration of Himself as the Truth … and that He is truly the Word. No contradictions, dissimulation or devise. Alleluia! There I go again, drifting off the topic. What do you think? Is it a senior citizen thing or my excitement at rediscovering the delightful way everything just keeps coming together ever so often? Well, I bet those who feel the same way are flowing with me right now. Apologies to those who can not. May you get there in Jesus’ mighty Name.
So back to the Champions of faith. Let’s check out the one declared as the father of faith himself!! And with good reason, don’t you now? Yes, I refer to the Jewish patriarch Abraham. Please note that I am carefully not calling him father Abraham like the Jews because of the warning of our Lord Jesus Christ to call no one father. In the first place I am a gentile so I have no right to that claim. Secondly, I believe he well deserves that title among the Jews who invariably share his DNA… amongst others we shall get to later. And before you accuse me of being legalistic, I called and can think of no other way to refer to my biological father as such. It might of course be better to refer to him as my ‘begetter’! Ha, ha!.. credit to the many Bible passages that present genealogies, for example in Matthew chapter 1 verse 1 to 17 “…and Abraham begat Isaac, and Isaac begat…”
Let’s just say that my conscience does not condemn me when I do that and I do share his DNA. But even without the DNA link, I believe that anyone who fills that role in one’s life is entitled to the title… and although we did not see our Lord Jesus Christ refer to Joseph as His father anywhere in the Bible, I bet that is what He called him as a child! So, as I was not born saved, I did not know any better. I only got sensitive about these details when I did get saved many years later, and learnt more about these things in the Bible. And that is the way with all human beings. So calling a man from whom you derive your identity your source in some ways seems okay to me. Because ultimately it was orchestrated by God and is certainly with a small f. And I think this is a universal concept that no one would quarrel about. There are of course so many arguments for and against. I do believe that the bible does sometimes use the word in the non-biological context. For example, I do recall that our Lord himself referred to Satan as the father of lies, and called him the father of the unrepentant who follow his diabolic ways. And I know that apostles Paul, and John (1 John 2:1; 2 Timothy2:2 etc) refer to their close associates and disciples as children and sons. But I am yet to find a bible text where they refer to great men of faith like Abraham God as their father. Implied, you may say? BUT not explicit, so I prefer to play safe on this. See? Another digression. But please stay with me!
As you might have noticed, I have a thing about this mainly because of the relatively recent trend among Christians… at least in my circle. These days, you hear leaders of churches being referred to as father in the Lord (the Roman Catholics are at least more direct about this! Let me ramble a bit again here. Since catholic means universal, I always wonder at the contradiction in terms of the expression Roman catholic. How on earth can one be Roman, and yet universal? And strangely enough, those who belong to this denomination always stress this identity even above being a Christian!!! I wonder if they will all automatically get a visa to Rome or Roman citizenship for that matter!! Okay. I’ve had my fun! Ha,ha!).
I suppose daddy, papa, which are more colloquial and informal could be considered more acceptable. However, I fear that they carry the same weight with the people who use them! And of course gender equity demands that we also have mothers in the Lord, first lady etc. But I find even these more bearable than the use of high priest! I cringe when I hear this. Do Christians have or need any other High Priest than our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ? But what I find even more frightening is the fact that so many of these leaders accept, and even give themselves these titles!
At least I have never witnessed any so-called correct their ‘flock’ about that practice although I do personally know of one or two women leaders who specifically asked me not to do so! For close age reasons I think. And I do accept to be called mummy or grandma by children who fall into that category by age! But then not in the context of spiritual leadership. And then again, mummy is far cry from ‘father, or daddy, isn’t it? So I can not be called a hypocrite, can I? If you ask me, in the context of spiritual leadership, that’s dangerous stuff. But please, let’s not divide on such issues.
So back again to ‘the father of faith’. Abraham who left everything familiar in all ramifications and moved to another place he did not know anything about. We are not talking about those who ‘japa (a Nigerian term for fleeing one’s country) to pursue prosperity in another country they believe offers a better living standard based on information (not necessarily reliable) they have been able to gather.
The Bible clearly states Abraham knew nothing about the place he was asked to go. And he had no personal agenda. He simply obeyed God’s instructions to him. All God said to him in Genesis 12: 1 was: “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you”. God did not give Abraham any information about where he was to go. Yet he obeyed. The book of Hebrews 11: 8 put it more succinctly: It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that god would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going.” Can you even imagine that?!!! Gods’ ways are certainly not mine or any human’s ways. But we know it is always perfect, kind and loving… so we rest in the knowledge that eyes have not seen, nor mind conceived what the Lord has prepared for us.
But here’s why I take some comfort from the fact that his faith might not have started as ‘champion faith’, even if still very impressive. I seem to get the impression that Abraham might have dragged his feet a bit on leaving the known for the unknown. Taking father and nephew along and all that was not exactly ‘leaving your relatives behind’, was it? And again, he did stop at Haran, for quite a while, didn’t he… until father died?(Genesis 11:26). But then again, we cannot say this categorically, since it would seem Terah (Abraham’s father) was the leader of that particular leg of the trip. But when Abraham subsequently continued, he did take lot, his orphan nephew along with him, and that was not exactly ‘leaving relatives behind’ either, is it?
But the parting of ways did come later… to avoid a conflict between uncle and nephew. And Abraham’s decision to give Lot first choice on where to go was a masterful demonstration of faith! Yes’ I’d say that must have taken some ‘champion faith’, wouldn’t you? The older guy, the one called to the particular ministry; the leader of the pack who opened doors of opportunity to his subordinate’s prosperity. The one who had all the right and opportunity to impose himself and his will, chose to avoid conflict with his now also prosperous nephew, by suggesting a peaceful parting of ways. He chose to accept the leftover! Pure obedience to the biblical injunction – As much as is possible … be at peace with all men…(Roman’s 12:18). What meekness, what humility! And that sure sounds like faith to me!
Let’s face it. It couldn’t have been easy to do that, especially when you know you have the upper hand. Faith had to have played a role in it… a certain assurance that God’s perfect Will cannot be countered whatever the challenges. It must have taken faith to be able to say to oneself: God called me. He will have the final decision in the direction of my life so I need not worry about outcomes. I need not strive with anyone over which way to go. All I need do is obey. That’s great faith. Certainly no wobbling here.
Wouldn’t it have been great if the champion faith continued form here on! For Abraham’s faith to stand strong in the face of every challenge hencefirth. But it didn’t… and yet he was called the father of faith.
The thought of famine, lack of the basics… food to eat … must have been daunting! And it diverted him from the direction God had sent him; he went down to Egypt. And the result? He went further downhill by telling a lie because of the fear of losing his wife! And when he was caught in that lie, he tried to justify it by saying it was half true.
Nevertheless, God was so merciful to him, that he suffered only a little inconvenience but rather became even more prosperous! A God who moves in mysterious ways, indeed. There’s no second-guessing Him. Which is why it is best to be on His side because it is the winning side no matter how else things may look.
And soon came the greatest wobbling of all surrounding the most crucial purpose for his life. The birth of a son!!! He succumbed like Adam at the urging of his wife, to the temptation of helping God fulfil His promise. He agreed to surrogacy by sleeping with Agar, his wife’s servant who probably was part of the ‘gift’ received from Egypt!!! And I believe most of know the serious ramifications of that decision, which still resonates in our world today! The slave girl gave birth to Abraham’s son. He it is who became the father of the Arab world. And they remain the sworn enemy of the line of Isaac, the Jews till today!!!
Wow! Would it not have been better to wobble at the smaller challenges, and stand firm on the most important aspect?!!! Yet he is called the father of faith!!! In spite of all the wobbling, he did accomplish his purpose on earth. I can only say Wow! again.
What I am going to say next may not come out right but …what a great comfort it is to know my occasional wobbling faith will not disqualify me too from accomplishing God’s purpose for my life on earth! He Who has started a good work in me will finish it… Apostle Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, penned down clearly and firmly these words in Philippians 1:6: “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns”.. or I go to meet Him.
If you believe this, then let’s shout Amen! and Alleluia! together. Remember, if two agree on anything, it shall be done for us in heaven.
Amen! Alleluia!!!