Now without faith it is impossible to please God, for the one who draws near to Him must believe that He exists and rewards those who seek Him. Hebrews 11:6 HCSB
As a youth pastor, I took a group of young people to Hawaii on a mission trip. We conducted Vacation Bible Schools, gave puppet shows, and assisted with some construction work. We were also able to visit some sights and enjoy some time on the beach. In one location there was a large rock jutting up out of the water from the ocean floor. There were people jumping and diving off of the rock into the water below. The young people challenged me to jump, so I made my way to the top of the rock. When I looked over the side of the 30 foot cliff into the clear blue waters below that were about 30 feet deep, I felt as though I was standing on a 6 story building. It was scary and I backed away. I realized instantly that if I stopped and looked down, I would never jump. Some of the local people gave me instructions on how to jump without injury. After watching several others jump, I finally got up enough nerve, courage, and belief in myself to take the plunge. I did not look down – I
just took a big step toward the edge and kept going. It was frightening but exhilarating. I did not want to do it a second time, but I had done it!
Having faith is somewhat like jumping off a cliff. It is a bit risky and you don’t know what the future holds, but you take that jump and go. Believing in God is just the beginning. The Bible tells us that even the demons believe in Jesus Christ and God (James 2:19-20). God desires for us to have total faith and trust Him; to jump into His arms, knowing that He will protect us and take care of us. He desires to have a personal relationship with each of us. Those who seek God and trust Him will be rewarded with an abundant life filled with excitement.
Challenge: Trust God! Take a leap of faith. It is impossible to please God without faith. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. He wants to have an intimate relationship with you that is only possible through faith.