Isaiah 7:9 “‘If you do not stand firm in your faith,
you will not stand at all.'”

For once, I really like the turn of phrase in the NIV! I’m sure the Japanese is a bit closer to the Hebrew when it says, “If you do not believe, you will not stand for long.” The benefit of the Japanese in this case is in making it clear that “you” is plural: he wasn’t just talking to the king. The NIV, however, makes use of English expressions to put this truth very memorably, and that’s a good thing. Situations where this applies occur in every believer’s life. We believe, but we are tested as to whether we will stand in the faith we have, and sometimes we don’t. That’s the thing about faith: it must be exercised to be real. Many Christians in countries with religious freedom have very weak faith, not really so much because it hasn’t been tested as because they don’t realize it’s being tested, and so fail to stand in it. That’s certainly not the case in countries where claiming to be a Christian immediately invites trouble! For example, Americans’ faith is tested in their choices of entertainment, but they rarely see it that way. Even people who are very clear, when asked, that Jesus is the only way to salvation fail to seek Him in the details of their lives, and so live lives that are indistinguishable from their non-believing neighbors. That’s no way to stand when real troubles come!

I have to plead guilty here. I do turn off junky media, either TV or the Internet, but not nearly fast enough. Temptations in this area abound for everyone, and I need to stand firm not just for myself, but for those I shepherd as well. If I’m not standing firm, I won’t be able to help them stand. Personal purity is not an option, and if I am going to call others to holiness, I must walk in it myself. Likewise, my faith is tested in areas like finances. I try to help others who struggle with trusting God, but how do I respond to restricted cash flow myself? I had a major lesson in that area when we were building this building, but I can’t say I follow through 100% even so. “Standing in faith” applies to every area of life, and is expressed in trusting obedience. Putting it that way make it clear how much room I have to grow!

Father, thank You for this reminder, and thank You again for Your patience with me. As I am reminded from time to time, I’ve got to walk in the truth I know, or I am deceiving myself. Help me walk in all that You have poured into me, so that Your will may be done in and through me consistently, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!