May 9 Be Bold

Ephesians 3:11-13 This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. 13 So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory.
 
WE can easily lose heart, can’t we? We may be experiencing a painful, debilitating illness. We worry about children, parents and friends who seem far from Jesus. The paycheck doesn’t go far enough to cover mortgage or rent, food and the car payment. Our nation and the world seem to be degenerating into an increasing state of brokenness. What are we to do?
    Paul helps us know. Reading Ephesians and Paul’s other letters we see his concern for Jesus’ church, his own people the Jews, his new friends the Gentiles, and specific people. As he focused on others, we might think Paul had no issues of his own.
    But the Bible tells us in various Scriptures such as 2 Corinthians 15 of Paul’s various and great sufferings. These we can easily forget, though, because Paul continually affirms and celebrates the one great power in his life over all things is his faith in Jesus.
    Faith was Paul’s comfort, and it can be yours, too. Faith gives to us a boldness to go before the Father’s throne of grace to pray forgiveness and intercession. Faith is our confidence as it causes us to believe, “I am in God’s eternal hands.” Faith draws us into being the “one things” Paul describes in Ephesians 2. Faith causes us to stand steadily against doubts, fears and disappointments. Faith even helps us to say, “Your will be done, Father, on earth as it is in Heaven – even if I don’t like it.”
    John Calvin said of faith: “To separate faith from confidence would be an attempt to take away heat and light from the sun. A trembling, hesitating, doubting conscience will always be a sure evidence of unbelief. But a firm, steady faith, will prove to be invincible against the gates of hell. To trust in Christ as Mediator, and to entertain a firm conviction of our heavenly Father's love, never to tremble at death or hell, is certainly a holy presumption.”         
    What strife may be in your life? Believe in God’s promises. Be faithful to read and study his Word. Sit under true gospel teaching. Pray often to listen to God’s voice. Take heart in the suffering Paul’s faithful words. His joy in Jesus (see Philippians) teaches us to forget of suffering and to focus on the Savior. May your life be so lived.
 
Prayer: Thank you, Spirit, for your gift of faith into my soul. Grow my faith large that I will boldly go before the Holy God in expectation of his care for my life. In Jesus’ name, amen.