Living faith

You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.  Jas. 2.24

As I ponder on these words I see how vital it is to live out my faith. It is not sufficient for me to say, “I am a Christian. I believe in God and I claim salvation through His Son, and my Lord, Jesus Christ.”

If I say this, I must understand what it means. And I need to convey that meaning to others, not just in what I say, but in how I live my life.

My Christian life is one of following Jesus. I may not come anywhere near His perfection, but this does not prevent me giving myself to the Father’s will as Christ did. Sometimes, maybe often, I will know the right way to behave; the things I ought to do may be clear to me. Then I need the courage and determination to follow through. Some actions will come easily; others may require a bit more effort. At other times I may not see clearly the way forward. But He will show me. Here, again, I can follow my Saviour. I come before the Father and say, “Not what I want, Lord, but what You want. Show me.” And I just might need to persist in this plea until I get an answer.

Choice is an ever present reality in this life. I can choose to say, “I am a Christian” and leave it at that. Or I can choose to live, as best I am able, a Christian life!

Lord God,

I so want to follow my Lord Jesus and live in obedience to Your will. Saying the words is not enough for me. I want to live the life. I come to You in humble petition. I remember the many references to our Lord seeking You out in solitude and prayer. I believe Your direction came to Him in such times. May it be so for me. Show me the way, Your way, in Jesus’ name I ask.                     Amen.