SCRIPTURE: Luke 8:40-48
“Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.”
Here I again I am encouraged by the simple faith that Jesus honours.
It is not ‘understanding the faith’ (beliefs) that helps, heals, or saves us.
It is any move towards God – whether uncertain or desperate or confident – for help.
This woman would not have been ready for ‘profession of faith’ in my tradition.
But her desperate, cautious approach was enough for God, Who worked through Jesus to heal her.
I think of the desperate, cautious, hopeful people that I meet in my church setting.
Theirs is not a faith that would meet the criteria for church membership.
But it is sufficient for membership in God’s family, for a hearty embrace from God.
Who really are the members of God’s family, God’s church?
Among them are many desperate, cautious, struggling, hopeful people not in our churches.
Some (many?) of whom have turned elsewhere for hope because the church did not welcome them.
We need to welcome strugglers, doubters, questioners – even unbelievers – when they move towards God in their own uncertain, cautious, yet curious way.
They may not be ‘profession of faith’ material for our churches, but they are ‘mustard seed of faith’ material for God (Luke 17:6).
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
God, forgive us for being so reluctant to welcome people into Your fellowship. May we be as gracious to seekers as You are to us (way more than we realize). May we affirm their simple faith like You do!