All it takes for me is to read a chapter like Hebrews 11, and I often find myself yearning and pleading and saying, "I want a faith like Abraham's. I wish I could trust in the LORD like Moses. I wish I had the courage of Daniel."
Of course I know that faith is a gift (Eph. 2:8). And yet there are ways to cultivate it. God has given His people means of grace by which His free gift is procured.
So, though it is noble to 'humbly' yearn for a greater faith, there is much more. Yes, God gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). But humility is not to be equated with idleness. In fact, in Proverbs 22, Solomon links the increased trust of a disciple with the disciple's reception and application of his "wise words."
Of course, some will object that this idea seems mechanical, robotic, and perhaps even heart-less. This concern is valid, but it must be remembered that those who belong to the new covenant have not only been given new hearts that are receptive and malleable to God's instructions, the very law of God has been written upon them (Eze. 36:26; Jer. 31:33). Put simply, those who are in Christ Jesus love His commands. John, the disciple whom the Lord Jesus loved, tells us that,
Loving God means keeping His commandments, and His commandments are not burdensome. (1 John 5:3, NLT)If we love God, we will love His commands. And if we love His commands, we will keep His commands. Anyone who reads Psalm 119 can clearly see a man full of God's grace. And yet it seems that the whole psalm is law, law, law. In some Holy Spirit-inspired and mysterious way, God uses His Word, and our obedience to it by faith, to work grace deep into our lives, producing an increased trust, setting in motion a glorious cycle of blessing.
In Proverbs 22:17-19, Solomon tells us,
Incline your ear, and hear the words of the wise,
and apply your heart to my knowledge,
for it will be pleasant if you keep them within you,
if all of them are ready on your lips.
That your trust may be in the LORD,
I have made them know to you today, even to you.
It seems almost too basic. No magical wands. No fluttering feelings in our viscera. No mystical phenomenon. Nope. Solomon simply lays forth words of wisdom and tells his son to hide his words in his heart (cf. Psa. 119:11a).
Paul tells us in Romans 10:17 that "faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the message of Christ." Of course, the inevitable objection will be that Paul is talking about missions here. True. But as one reads Paul, it is clear that he doesn't place the gargantuan divide between justification and sanctification that many of us do today. For example, in Romans 1:16, the gospel is the power of God for salvation for all who believe. But this truth is just as true for unbelievers who need to be "saved" (justified) as it is for believers who needs to be "saved" (sanctified). "Salvation" is the umbrella term that includes all 3 aspects of justification, sanctification, and glorification. And "salvation" (including sanctification) comes by hearing the Word with faith (see also Galatians 3:1-6). In this context, increased trust in the LORD comes through letting the Word dwell richly in our hearts (cf. Col. 3:16).
So, let us with the Galatians, and let us with Solomon's son, incline our ears to the words of the wise and apply our hearts to his knowledge. If we do, they will be pleasant as our lips recite them to our wandering hearts. Such glorious truths will become like a solid dock providing deep moorings for our wayward souls.
As we "take up and read" (latin: tolle lege), we with Augustine will find the LORD slowly [but surely] increasing our faith and trust in Him. As the Word permeates and penetrates our hearts, everything will be changed. Our conversation with others will become marked by "psalms and hymns and Spiritual songs" and thankfulness (cf. Eph. 5:18-19). Our lives will characterized by joy. Obedience will become less of a chore and struggle. Those around us will begin to ask us about the hope that is within us.
Though I am not Solomon, my intention of this blog is the same: I have written it because I desire Christ's lambs to have an increased trust in Him. The more we hear our Good Shepherd's voice, the sweeter we will realize it is; the more we hear our Good Shepherd's voice, the uglier the voice of Lady Folly will become as our ears become more 'grace-tuned' (i.e. her belligerent beckonings will sound more and more out of tune with the melody of grace we are increasingly humming all the day long).
Reader, the glorious thing is that these "words of the wise" can be heard and applied everyday. Everyday your trust in the LORD can be increased. Let us then seek early the living Manna of Christ. He promises to bless those who incline their ear to His words and apply their hearts to His knowledge.
Let us then take Him at His word, resolved to draw near to Him (see James 4:8).
"That your trust may be in the LORD,
I have made this known to you today, even to you."
In Christ, and for His [increasing] glory in our lives,
Pastor Ryan
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