Hebrews 11:1
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
You are familiar with those words, I am sure! In school, testing meant a night of study, in work, it might mean the same, or slightly different, depending on the job. On the television, it may mean a test of the emergency broadcast system preparing for a storm. Whatever the test is, we usually don’t like it! Medical tests seem to be the worst. You know the tests where you drink a boatful of fluid, or you must contort yourself in odd positions so the tech can get the photo, or they take seemingly way too much blood to test a few tiny cells. I recently had an extensive eye test. The doctor informed me that this test was critical and would be a life changer. After my eyes were dilated beyond the usual dilation, the technician told me to keep my eyes wide open while she flashed bright lights into my eyes! What was she thinking? Every time the light flashed my eyes blinked automatically. Somehow, she got the pictures she wanted and when the Doctor showed me the photo, I saw far more of my eye than I ever wanted to see. He did get what he needed to make a diagnosis; I am thankful for that. Now the problem in my eye can be treated.
All through our lives we will be taking tests. Most of them are not tests we can study to be prepared for; we just need to go have the test done. There is a critical test, however, that we can study for every day! It is the test of our faith! This is a critical, life changing, life or death test we all face. You see we are seemingly always going into a problem, in the problem, or coming out of the problem. We live in a fallen world where our enemy has the control. Therefore, while we are here on earth-we will be tested!
I was thinking of this verse as I sat at the doctor’s office-waiting. My family and I seem to be going through an extensive time of testing. From health issues to emotional issues to spiritual issues, we are experiencing them all. When one issue shows up at a time it seems like we can take our ‘bat of faith’ and knock it out of the park. When 2 or more appear, it may feel like you are playing ‘Wack-a-mole’ and it becomes more and more difficult to stay ahead of the issues!
But there is hope!
When we serve a God who has been through the tests, and passed, it gives us the hope that we can do it too. Remember having a friend who took the driving test before you-and she passed? Didn’t that give you more confidence to believe you could pass too? Well, we have a big brother who was tested just like we are. He passed the tests with flying colors, and He wants to help you do the same thing.
In Matthew 4:1-11 Jesus is tested in every area that we also tested. He relied on what His father told Him, you can read about the testing in that portion of Matthew. We also can have confidence that Jesus will come to our aid when we are tested. We have the assurance that He made it through the final exam, and He now sits at the right hand of His Father.
I know you are being tested. It’s life! I also know that if you know THE ONE who already passed the tests with flying colors, He will walk with you through all the tests you go through. Sometimes one at a time, sometimes in multiples, always passable because we have the notes (the Bible) we have the lectures (Holy Spirit) and we have the friend who passed the test already (Jesus), and He will be sure we pass it too!
Testing…Testing…this is only a test. If this had been a real event you would have been taken up in a cloud!
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