FAITH THAT GIVES LIFE.
BIBLE PORTION:
2 Kings 4:1-7
Luke 5:17-26
INTRODUCTION:
King Bruce the Robert ruled Scotland in the 14th century. During his reign, the King of England waged war against Scotland, annexed the country, and exiled the Scottish King. Afterward, the Scottish King, with his loyal supporters, waged war against the King of England six times but faced defeat every single time. Disheartened and having lost hope, he sought refuge in a cave. While in the cave, he witnessed a scene that inspired him. A spider was trying to weave its web. Using the silk produced from its mouth, the spider tried to string its web from one end to another. Despite failing multiple times, the spider did not give up. It kept trying persistently until it finally succeeded in creating the web. Observing this determined effort, the Scottish King regained his confidence. He sent messages to rally his followers and, this time, combined hope with his warriors' strength. In 1306, he ultimately defeated the English forces and reclaimed his throne in Scotland. This incident stands as a powerful example of perseverance and hope.
Living without hope in this world is a very difficult thing. Nowadays, the government has suggested that schools and colleges should have mentors to instill hope in students. This is because hope prevents a person from falling into despair and strengthens their life. It is hope that motivates a person to progress and encourages them to take new initiatives in life. In my perspective, hope is "taking the first step where there are no steps." At this moment, let us reflect on the state of our hope in the light of the scriptures.
1.FAITH IN NOTHINGNESS: (2 Kings 4:1-7):
In this passage from the Old Testament, a prophet's wife, who had become a widow, cries out to Elisha, lamenting her helplessness and dire circumstances. She explains that she had borrowed money to survive, but now, unable to repay the debt, the creditors had come to take away her two children, who were her only source of hope and support, to enslave them.
In today's world, debt is one of the major factors that can cause us to lose hope. We take loans for various reasons—our children's education, their marriages, building a home, or running a business. In reality, moneylenders are among the greatest inventors in today’s world. Their inventions include concepts like compound interest and exorbitant rates, which trap people in cycles of debt, preventing them from moving forward. Many who lose hope under such pressures end up destroying themselves.
Yet, in india, there are individuals who have borrowed vast amounts from banks and, without repaying, have fled to other countries to live luxurious lives.
Lalit Modi - ₹1700 crore
Vijay Mallya - ₹9000 crore
Nirav Modi - ₹11,400 crore
In one such incident, due to the burden of usurious interest rates, a man named Isakki Muthu from Kasidharma village in Tirunelveli district took his own life along with his wife and two children.
This was the situation faced by the prophet's wife. With no way to move forward and all paths blocked, her home was as empty as a swept vessel, with nothing left. However, she held onto a great treasure—hope. She believed with certainty that there would be a way through God.
No matter what we lack in life, we must always have hope. The hope that woman placed in God turned her life around, transforming her emptiness into abundance. Her trust in God created a path for her to live.
Even today, we may face the burdens of debt pressing down on us. Do not be discouraged or afraid, for the God who gives life is with us. Place your hope in Him and seek His guidance. He will surely show us the way to live. Just as He provided a way for the widow who had nothing, He will also guide us like a ray of light in darkness, a path where there is no way, and a means to live where life seems impossible.
2.FAITH THAT BREAKS BARRIERS: (Luke 5:20):
Jesus Christ saw not the faith of the paralyzed man but the faith of those who carried him. This event was a remarkable example of collective effort. The four individuals acted with a singular thought, focus, and purpose. Their faith in the fact that deliverance could be found in Jesus Christ shattered every obstacle in their way.
The kind of faith they had was the faith that Jesus Christ expected and still expects from us. That is why Jesus, seeing the faith of the four men rather than the paralyzed man, granted healing and deliverance to the sick man. The kind of faith Jesus Christ expects is an active faith. Jimmy Carter once said, "Faith is not a noun; it is a verb." This means that faith should not exist merely in name but also in action. In James 2:22, it is written that Abraham's faith was made complete through his actions. Abraham did not merely claim that he would sacrifice Isaac; he placed his only son, born by God’s promise, on the altar solely because God commanded it. This is why he is called the father of faith. His faith, when put into action, led to success.
A body is valuable only as long as it has life; the moment life departs, the person is considered dead. Similarly, faith without action is equivalent to dead faith. We must not be like dead fish that get carried away by the current. Instead, like living fish, we must swim against the tide of the world, demonstrating the actions of faith and staying steadfast.
The faith of those four men was not a nominal or dead faith; it was a living and action-filled faith. They demonstrated their faith in Jesus Christ through their actions. Beloved, we must have faith in God, but our faith must also lead to action. Only when we act can we break through obstacles. These four men, fueled by their faith in Jesus Christ, acted boldly and took new initiatives. In Luke 5:19a, it is mentioned that they were not deterred by the large crowd. They did not see the crowd as a barrier but as a mere inconvenience. Today, many of us mistake inconveniences for insurmountable obstacles, and as a result, we fail to move forward in life or seek alternative paths. Instead, we remain stuck like a dry, lifeless tree in barren ground.
Because of the faith those four individuals had, they sought another way to bring the sick man to Jesus Christ. Even there, they encountered an obstacle. The roof stood as a barrier to bringing him to Jesus Christ. They removed the obstacle—the roof—and gave the sick man a new life. The faith those four individuals had was truly awe-inspiring. Their faith broke through the barrier and became a means to provide someone with a new life. Amen!
©2025, I. Ananda Balakrishnan
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