Gene's Blog

Faith – The nature of

Faith is tough for us human types. It is hard to believe in something we can’t touch, taste or take for a walk. We SAY we believe, but it seems that for most of us we only think we do, until a crisis of one sort or another enters our path, then we get desperate, plead, beg, bargain, but still we don’t really believe in the promises of God. Not the ones we may have been raised with nor those we have come to conclusions on our own about. Or sure, we attribute the random event, a spontaneous healing maybe, to a “miracle”. But that is only because we can’t explain it and we don’t understand it. That may be our ignorance, or our youth as a species more than specific divine intervention in a particular situation. We’ll talk more about that as we get more into the books. For now, I’m going to stay in the general category with all this, I will probably set one up specifically for CWG when I turn my attention more specifically to Books 1 and 2, maybe. We’ll see. I used to hate when my dad said that, it always really meant, “no”, lol, but in this case it really does mean, I’m not sure yet. I’m still getting used to WordPress, those of you who have been here before will also notice a new look, I found out abuot themes, giggle. And I like this one for now – the list of posts on the side, primarily, in reverse chronological order, if I figure out how to date them, I will, else, the first is the last. I think that might be a biblical saying too, giggle.

For me, when I talk or write about faith with people, I often use the parable Jesus told of the mustard seed, I like the version in, Luke 17:6 best, but then Luke is really the only gospel I like much at all – and I read the neatest thing a long time, ago, a fairly convincing argument that Luke was written by a woman, which would, for me, explain the softer tone it takes – which I like. Anyway, that mustard seed needn’t do anything but be what it is, be blown where it will be the wind, and on landing, take root and grow. That we can do much the same doesn’t require a lot of effort on our part, lol. But faith isn’t as easy as it sounds. God, through Neale (soon I am going to stop saying the through Neale part, giggle) in CWG talks about this in Book 1 on page 12, “…Faith. If you have but the faith of a mustard seed, you shall move mountains.” Well, I haven’t been able to move even that dratted newest anthill I’ve been watching grow on the lawn, so I’m a little skeptical about the human application of this principle, but I believe a day is coming when we’ll understand this in a new way, faith, I mean.

Still, today, I got a neat story in my email that illustrates this same principle from another perspective.

The Fern and the Bamboo

One day I decided to quit….I quit my job, my relationship, my spirituality…I wanted to quit my life. I went to the woods to have one last talk with God.

“God”, I said. “Can you give me one good reason not to quit?” His answer surprised me…

“Look around”, He said. “Do you see the fern and the bamboo?”

“Yes”, I replied.

“When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of them. I gave them light. I gave them water. The fern quickly grew from the earth. Its brilliant green covered the floor. Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo. In the second year the fern grew more vibrant and plentiful. And again, nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo”.

He said, “In the third year, there was still nothing from the bamboo seed. But I would not quit. In the fourth year, again, there was nothing from the bamboo seed. But I would not quit. Then in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from the earth. Compared to the fern it was seemingly small and insignificant. But just six months later the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall. It had spent five years growing roots. Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to survive. I would not give any of my creations a challenge it could not handle.”

He said to me, “Did you know, my child, that all this time you have been struggling, you have actually been growing roots. I would not quit on the bamboo. I will never quit on you. Don’t compare yourself to others.”

He said, “The bamboo had a different purpose than the fern, yet they both make the forest beautiful.” “Your time will come,” God said to me. “You will rise high!”

“How high should I rise?” I asked.

“How high will the bamboo rise?” He asked in return.

“As high as it can?” I questioned.

“Yes.” He said, “Give back the glory by rising as high as you can.”

I left the forest and brought back this story. I hope these words can help you see that God will never give up on you…….

Never regret a day in your life.
Good days give you Happiness.
Bad days give you Experiences.
Both are essential to life.
Keep going….
Happiness keeps you Sweet,
Trials keep you Strong,
Sorrows keep you Human,
Failures keep you Humble
Success keeps you Glowing,
But only God keeps you Going !
Have a great day! The Sun is shining !!

God is so big He can cover the whole world with His love and so small He can curl up inside your heart.

Now then, between those two stories, how is it possible that we can lose faith? Yet, we do, we walk around as if there will be no tomorrow. Maybe sentience is the problem, it is easier to have the faith of a mustard seed or a bamboo seed if you don’t have to think about it. Trust me, I have my moments of doubt, more than I’d like, my moments in the dark, a lot of what was in the post about dancing is dark, indeed.  But when I start to lose it, I have jenna, she shows me those damn lights and I just can’t deny them, they happened, and those memories make me believe again.  She’s tricky like that.  Thank gawd.  Cuz, I’m not nearly as strong as I wish I were.  We humans doubt, it is our nature, so the way I like to think of it is that faith is really about hope, and hope is what we all need most to make it through our lives, just a small bit of hope for a better day so again I come back to Sarah McLachlan song to close this post from Fumbling Toward Ecstasy, her song, Hold On (which is really an incredible love story) “…So now you’re sleeping peaceful, and I lie awake and pray, that you’ll be strong tomorrow, and will see another day, and we will praise it, and love the light that brings a smile across your face.” I wish the same for all of you, another day worthy of praise – and the faith of the mustard seed, the bamboo see, and our creator. much love, :^) gene