The Oxford Dictionary defines faith as "complete trust or confidence in someone or something." While this definition only touches the surface of what faith is, specifically when it comes to faith in Christ, it does help us understand what it means to have faith. Faith is easy to have when life is easy, and everything makes sense. Faith is difficult when life is challenging and confusing. It is those moments where our faith is really evident. Our faith is made clear when we show trust and confidence in God's plan, even when it does not make sense.
We read about a man who exhibited extraordinary faith in Luke 19. Jesus and His disciples had entered into Bethany. Jesus' time on earth was drawing to an end. His crucifixion, death, and resurrection were imminent. He had just raised Lazarus from the dead. People marveled at His power. He instructed His disciples to find a young donkey, untie it, and bring it to Him. He told his disciples to tell the young donkey's owner that "the Lord needs it" (verse 31). When they found the young donkey, they did exactly what Jesus said and told the owner of the donkey, "The Lord needs it." With that, they took the donkey to Jesus, which means that the owner allowed them to take the donkey. That man, the donkey's owner, demonstrated incredible faith. He could have said, "No." Instead, he trusted Jesus. Because of that, he played an essential role in Jesus' story.
Imagine if each one of us had the faith of this donkey owner. Imagine if we had such faith in God that we said "yes" to Him, even when we did not understand, and even when saying "yes" meant giving up something important to us. How might God use us and work through us if we let go of control and fear and say "yes" to Him no matter what? How might you live differently today if you choose to have the kind of faith that says "yes" to Him? May we always be people with strong, unwavering faith in God's plan.
Is there something God has called you to do, but you have had trouble having faith in Him and His plan to say "yes"? Confess that area to God now. Ask Him to give you faith to trust Him, and take steps this week to have the faith to obey Him and His plan.
1Jesus entered Jericho and made his way through the town. 2 There was a man there named Zacchaeus. He was the chief tax collector in the region, and he had become very rich. 3 He tried to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree beside the road, for Jesus was going to pass that way.
5 When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. “Zacchaeus!” he said. “Quick, come down! I must be a guest in your home today.”
6 Zacchaeus quickly climbed down and took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy. 7 But the people were displeased. “He has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner,” they grumbled.
8 Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood before the Lord and said, “I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!”
9 Jesus responded, “Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a true son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”
11 The crowd was listening to everything Jesus said. And because he was nearing Jerusalem, he told them a story to correct the impression that the Kingdom of God would begin right away. 12 He said, “A nobleman was called away to a distant empire to be crowned king and then return. 13 Before he left, he called together ten of his servants and divided among them ten pounds of silver, saying, ‘Invest this for me while I am gone.’ 14 But his people hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, ‘We do not want him to be our king.’
15 “After he was crowned king, he returned and called in the servants to whom he had given the money. He wanted to find out what their profits were. 16 The first servant reported, ‘Master, I invested your money and made ten times the original amount!’
17 “‘Well done!’ the king exclaimed. ‘You are a good servant. You have been faithful with the little I entrusted to you, so you will be governor of ten cities as your reward.’
18 “The next servant reported, ‘Master, I invested your money and made five times the original amount.’
19 “‘Well done!’ the king said. ‘You will be governor over five cities.’
20 “But the third servant brought back only the original amount of money and said, ‘Master, I hid your money and kept it safe. 21 I was afraid because you are a hard man to deal with, taking what isn’t yours and harvesting crops you didn’t plant.’
22 “‘You wicked servant!’ the king roared. ‘Your own words condemn you. If you knew that I’m a hard man who takes what isn’t mine and harvests crops I didn’t plant, 23 why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.’
24 “Then, turning to the others standing nearby, the king ordered, ‘Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one who has ten pounds.’
25 “‘But, master,’ they said, ‘he already has ten pounds!’
26 “‘Yes,’ the king replied, ‘and to those who use well what they are given, even more will be given. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away. 27 And as for these enemies of mine who didn’t want me to be their king—bring them in and execute them right here in front of me.’”
28 After telling this story, Jesus went on toward Jerusalem, walking ahead of his disciples. 29 As he came to the towns of Bethphage and Bethany on the Mount of Olives, he sent two disciples ahead. 30 “Go into that village over there,” he told them. “As you enter it, you will see a young donkey tied there that no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 31 If anyone asks, ‘Why are you untying that colt?’ just say, ‘The Lord needs it.’”
32 So they went and found the colt, just as Jesus had said. 33 And sure enough, as they were untying it, the owners asked them, “Why are you untying that colt?”
34 And the disciples simply replied, “The Lord needs it.” 35 So they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their garments over it for him to ride on.
36 As he rode along, the crowds spread out their garments on the road ahead of him.
