The 40-Day Challenge : Day 8
- 30
- Jan
- 2013
“Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying, ‘Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.’” (Luke 1:24,25)
Elizabeth was an elderly woman and she was pregnant. What would her natural reaction have been? She would probably have told everyone about it in order to put an end to her shame and prove that indeed she had received her miracle. However, she was not euphoric.
She was rational. She spoke to God. Now we understand why God said in the beginning that Zacharias and Elizabeth were righteous.
What does this mean? Perfection? No!
Even though her husband was unable to speak, she praised God for the privilege of having a child. She was not anxious to tell the world about what was happening; she wanted to please the One she had known her entire life.
Who can see God?
Those who examine themselves, who, despite being imperfect, always put Him first.
When we examine ourselves, we watch our attitudes, our character, our behavior, our mistakes, sins and flaws.
Sins? Yes, sins!
Although everyone agrees that they are sinners, no one likes to examine themselves to find their sins and confront them.
But what is sin?
It can be a feeling…
Doubt is considered a sin. To hold a grudge is a sin. Anxiety is a sin.
Feelings can produce torment, which does not come from faith.
Only those who see themselves as souls, that is, who consider themselves insignificant, imperfect and sinners can see God!
They prioritise their God, the God of Truth. And so, their first reaction is not hasty or emotional, but rational, in faith; they speak to God first.
They do it in secret, because they have a close relationship with God. They depend on Him; they have a genuine relationship with Him, and are not bound by title or position, e.g. ‘the wife of a priest’. Not at all!
This is to live by a rational faith.
I had the privilege to learn about the difference between emotional faith and rational faith with Bishop Macedo at the UCKG HelpCentre. I’ve kept this teaching under lock and key until today, because I know this is the answer to many questions…
Dear friend, keep what you’ve been learning under lock and key. Examine your faith and your relationship with God.
Gathering knowledge is not important. What matters is that you have life!
Marilyn
5th January 2017 at 20:22
I learned that like Elizabeth we have to think before we do anything because we could do a lot of irrational things and even if we do think it out with ourselves it won’t always be the right thing to do if we don’t tell God first what we should do.
Goal: consult what to do with God first
Virginia Chuna
8th October 2014 at 8:33
Very inspiring! Elizabeth didn’t live according to her emotions/ feelings as she would have immediately gone and told her relatives, close friends etc. But she had an intelligent and rational faith that drove her straight to the presence of God. This is the kind of faith I need also.
Esther
3rd July 2014 at 7:55
I learned that we are all sinners and all of us are able to see God if we humble ourselves and admit that we have sinned just like the story about the tax collector and a priest that was told by Jesus. Since the priest praises himself, he was not humbled. On the other hand, the tax collector humbles himself and cried while asking for forgiveness, he was praised by God.
Thank you for this message and God bless you and your family:)
Norma
17th August 2013 at 16:16
I have learnt to keep under lock and key what i have learnt because i will be able to know the difference between rational faith and emotional faith. I also have to keep examining my attitudes and character even though its not easy.Through these challenges i have managed to see that every word in the bible has a great meaning in my life as a child of God.
Kisses
Norma
sandra
28th July 2013 at 9:42
Dear Mrs Viviane, I have come to treasure these challenges because it’s not by an emotional faith but yes…a rational faith!
Thank you
Kisses
naomi
30th January 2013 at 9:21
Thank you for this message because many times I have doubted, feared and became anxious, this message has helped me understand how to use rational faith than the emotional because we would be sinning. God bless.