When God Sees Our Faith
When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the sick of the palsy, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.”
Mark 2:5
God Almighty Responds to Faith
There are numerous accounts in Scripture where God responded to the faith of individuals. In those cases, the act of faith was recognized as an extraordinary element in bringing about change in a person’s life. We are forced to ask these three important questions. First, what does the act of faith mean to God? Second, are such acts of faith still in existence today? Lastly, how will that act of faith make a difference in the struggles and challenges we face?
It should be noted that God is Omnipresent. That means His presence is everywhere at all times. Proverbs 15:3, the Eyes of the Lord are in every place beholding the good and the evil. While many would be led to interpret that passage in a threatening way, Jesus reminded His followers that God looks down with love and compassion and has even numbered the very hairs on our head. 2 Chronicles 16:9, the Eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him. That Word was spoken to King Asa in a time that he gave in to his doubts and was depended more on the assistance of man rather than the help of God. The truth is, God is searching the earth to find those who will believe in Him. What an amazing revelation! God is seeking those who have faith while faith is searching to find God. When those two forces meet, there is a power released from God that blesses beyond measure.
Throughout the Bible, there is record upon record, and account after account where God responded to faith. God responded to the faith of Abram and led the man from a foreign land into the land of promise in order to make of him a blessing to all the world. By faith, Moses was led into Egypt to deliver the people from bondage. He had no army with him, he had no financial backing to purchase the nations freedom, yet he led the Israelites out by the Mighty Hand of God because he believed that God was able. It was faith in God that led young David to inquire about Goliath and when they met in battle, David said, you come against me with sword and spear, but I come against you in the Name of the God of Israel, Whom you have defied. David believed that God was with him and as the result of the battle, David’s faith proved triumphant. It is incredible how faith seeks after God while at the same time, God is looking for those who express their faith.
In the New Testament, Jesus came from Heaven to continue that same search for faith while working out the Salvation of mankind. Jesus, as God, searched for those who would put their trust in God and believed that He was able to deliver them from all their struggles. A Roman centurion expressed his faith in Jesus, and said, “Lord, I am not worthy for you to come under my roof … but speak the Word only, and my servant shall be healed.” Luke 7:7. Jesus recognized the centurion’s incredible faith and said, “I have not seen such faith in all of Israel.” That verse is proof that our Lord is looking for faith in that He saw a higher level of faith in the centurion than He had witnessed in all of Israel. What does this tell us about God’s search for faith and our search for God? It tells us that without Faith, it is impossible to please God, for whoever comes to God, must believe that God is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Hebrews 11:6.
The Scripture text of Mark 2:5 tells us emphatically that Jesus saw their faith. It was the kind of faith that God is looking for and as a result of faith, God will hear and answer all of our prayers.
Faith that Works
Do we have that same kind of faith today? Some would argue that there is only one kind of faith, but actually there are many kinds of faith, including fake. You have the ceremonial faith. You have weak faith. There is even faith in man as demonstrated by King Asa, who was more depended on human strength rather than having faith in God. Here Jesus was looking for a kind of faith that He could bestow the favor of God. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the sick of the palsy, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.” The fact that Jesus responded to the faith of the four individuals gives us some incredible insight as to how faith works. What did Jesus see that prompted Him to announce that the greatest need of that man had been met?
Here is what I believe Jesus saw in the four men holding the lame man. First, Jesus saw that they were willing to admit that God was the answer. Even more, they were pouring all of their energy into the belief that Jesus was able to heal the lame man of his infirmities. It didn’t matter that they did not recognize that sin was the key issue. It did matter that they were seeking after God with all their heart and energy. Not only does faith admit that God is the answer, genuine faith finds a way to overcome challenges. Isn’t that the essence of faith? If there are no challenges in life, that would make life an effortless stroll into Heaven. That is certainly not the case.
Throughout the Bible, while those who have sought God by faith and have been the objects of God’s search, those same believing people have encountered trials and even persecution because of their belief in God. Faith overcomes every obstacle in order to embrace the Goodness of God. When the four men came up to the crowded house, I’m certain that the first thought in their minds was that they had done what they could do in helping the helpless man. So, where did they find that boost of determination? I believe that their faith began to offer them fresh strength to move just a little bit more. Their faith in God did not allow them to give up. That is the power of faith in God. Please note, it is only faith in God that gives that energy to overcome obstacles. Human will, self-reliance, positive thinking, and even meditation will all fall short of that goal. It is only faith in God that causes the believer to rise in triumph over everything.
Here is how that faith is applied in saving us from our sin. Please remember, Jesus first forgave the man for his sin, then he delivered the man from his illness. The big obstacle to overcoming sin, is our own pride. People don’t want to admit that they have done evil in the sight of God. Saving faith leads us to confess our belief that God is not only willing to hear our confession, but to also wash away all sin. When we confess our sin, Jesus is willing and able to forgive sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. It is evident that something corrupt in the man’s life had led to the condition in his body. If his body was healed without the forgiveness of sin, the man would have returned to that same iniquity and would relapsed back into that paralyzed condition. Jesus healed the man’s soul and then proceeded to heal his body. He said to the sick of the palsy, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.” In applying this verse, you and I are forced to admit that if we have true faith, it must be first applied to our greatest need and that is to be set free from our sin. Once we confess that, faith works to overcome every other barrier that would prevent us from discovering the depths of God’s Grace.
When God sees our Faith. That is an incredible statement. Yet, for everyone that has claimed God’s Grace and Favor in their life, that is the reality. I believe that there is a third thing that God looks for in genuine faith. Not only does God respond to those who admit their need for His Goodness, but He also rejoices over those who rejoice in Him. While it is not stated in the text, I think that it is apparent that the four men were glad when they had let the man down in front of Jesus. On what basis would I make such a statement? Well, it is actually stated in Scripture that we are to “rejoice in the Lord.” The Psalms repeat that phrase over and over. Rejoice in the Lord, rejoice in the Lord. It’s as simple as this, we are to be happy that we get to see Jesus. We are to be jubilant that we get to spend time with Him and to enjoy His presence. The Bible tells us that King David was a man after God’s own heart. What did that mean? David loved being around God and worshipping God that He placed it as the highest priority of his life. The problem with many is that they have turned faith into a “churchy experience.” That should never be the case for a true child of God. We should seek God and to seek time with God. We are to delight ourselves in the Lord or enjoy God’s company to put it in layman’s terms. I know there are a host of reasons why you and I would feel uncomfortable around God. He is Holy and we are not. God is All Powerful and we are weak. But there is one good reason why each of us should rejoice to be with God, He loves us and we should love Him.
In conclusion, God sees our faith the same as when He witnessed the faith of those in the Bible. Faith is timeless. What worked then can certainly work now as we face life challenges. The four men possessed something that prompted Jesus to respond to their friend’s need. Faith is the willingness to give up whatever you were doing in order to seek after God. That’s real faith. Faith is like holding up a billboard and making an announcement to the world, “I trust in God.” That is real faith. Faith is saying to God, that we are willing to go to extremes to express our trust that God can make a way when it seems there is no way. That is real faith. That is the kind of faith that Jesus is looking for and that is the kind of faith that Jesus will answer. That is real faith.