Being Firm in Faith

Scripture: Thus says the Lord God:
“‘It shall not stand,
and it shall not come to pass.
For the head of Syria is Damascus,
and the head of Damascus is Rezin.
And within sixty-five years
Ephraim will be shattered from being a people.
And the head of Ephraim is Samaria,
and the head of Samaria is the son of Remaliah.
If you are not firm in faith,
you will not be firm at all.’”
Isaiah 7:7-9

Observation: This prophesy is given to Ahaz, king of Judah, related to an upcoming conflict with Syria and Israel, and it couldn't be more straightforward. Ahaz should not worry, because Syria trusts in their king Rezin, and Israel trusts in their king Remaliah (actually his son Pekah is leading them in battle). They trust in men. Judah trusts in the Lord. Not only will the efforts of Syria and Israel fail, but it spells the final straw for Israel and it will soon be completely destroyed.

While this prophesy itself seems clear, it is the very last line that really emphasizes the point. For anyone to be firm - to be strong in any manner - they must be firm and strong in their belief in the Lord. If they fail at that one quality, then they will fail in many other ways. This is both an explanation for why Samaria and Damascus will fail, and a warning for Ahaz and Judah to remain faithful. (Spoiler alert: Ahaz won't remain faithful.)

Application: This is a good reminder today that one's ability to be strong in all aspects of life are tied to one's ability to be strong in faith. I have faith, but I am not always strong in it. I should say, I am very strong in faith, but I am often not faithful in my thoughts and deeds, and this likely betrays a weakness I am not addressing.

Do I want to succeed in my job? Then I should be firm in faith. Do I want to have a great marriage? Then I should be firm in faith. Do I want to quiet my mind and find joy every day? Then I should be firm in faith. It is actually wonderful news to think of the idea that, in order to do and improve so many parts of life, I only need to address one aspect of my thinking.

Prayer: Lord, you know I have faith in you. I believe in your, Yahweh, and in Jesus as my savior, and by the fact it is through this faith I have salvation. I know of your greatness and love. Please forgive my sins, as I am weak in maintaining faithful actions. Please give me your mind and your heart, so I may only seek your will. Amen.