“Getting Excited Part 2 Giving by Faith”

Luke 12:22–23 ²²And he said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. ²³For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing.

            Rusty notices us getting ready; he sees all the signs and usually figures out that Anita and I are going somewhere.  You know when Rusty has figured out that we are going somewhere especially when he runs to the door leading to the cars and waits nose pointing to the edge of the door where it will open.  Then comes the let down, those sad puppy eyes stare up at you as you try to explain it will be to hot or to cold in the car and we would not be able to take him in with us when we get to where ever we are going. 

It takes Anita half the trip to get over seeing Rusty standing there at the door feeling rejected, froze in his tracks and looking like he’s ready to give out big puppy tears.  And then…, we come home Rusty is waiting at the door wagging his tail, jumping up and down for joy so glad to see us that you wonder if he really was sad that he couldn’t come along.  Of course Rusty is expecting a plastic bag to grab out of our hands and tear open to find a new toy just for him.  And if we don’t have the bag, Rusty runs to his toy box grabs an old toy, one or two days old, and brings it to us so we can chase him around as he plays keep away with us, he usually wins. 

Rusty seems to be excited to be with us and wants to be with us all the time.  So his sadness, when we have to leave him behind, is just temporary and short lived at least until we come back home.  It never ceases to amaze me, Rusty finds ways to keep excited about our return, whether we bring him a new toy or not.  Rusty is very much a part of our lives and he wants us to be very much a part of his life too.  Maybe that is why a dog is God spelled backwards.  Dogs are an example of the will of God in the form of wagging tail.

Hebrews 11:1–4 ¹Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. ²For by it the people of old received their commendation. ³By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.

⁴By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks.

By faith Rusty knows he will be fed, loved, and cared for even when it doesn’t quite go his way.  Abel had a faith like that and gave to God by his faith.  Rusty doesn’t wag is tail because he feels he has to, Rusty wags his tail because he wants to show his excitement to be with us.  Cain felt he had to give; Abel was able to give by true faith and love.  Dogs don’t give out blind love, but they give out genuine forgiving love.  I have seen dogs turn on masters who continually abused them.  James says he will show you his faith by his works.  Works come from having faith in that God will provide the way to succeed in His will.

Matthew 7:16-17 ¹⁶ You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? ¹⁷ So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit.

            Thus the difference between the giving of Abel and Cain.  Abel gave unselfishly by faith and love and was excited about it.  While Cain selfishly gave and felt it was something he had to do and lacked in faith and love.

Hebrews 11:5–6 ⁵By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. ⁶And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

Our Faith can be strongest in that we through the word of God know we have a God who loves us.  We know that God loves us because He has given us His word written and through His promises that are written for us God shows His love too.  We can be assured of our Lord’s sincerity is genuine as He has worked Himself to death to give us the assurance of our salvation.  Our Lord shows His love for us by dying on a cross to pay for our adoption so that we too can be the children of God.  This is why we seek after Him, that He has made us His forever.

Hebrews 11:13–16 ¹⁴For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. ¹⁵If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. ¹⁶But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.

            What a gift to be given at the door of our new home, life eternal, paid with great love so great that He did not count it as a sacrifice but He counted it as love.  Jesus Christ our savior, the one whom we can have faith in that our hopes to have eternal life and relationship with Him is assured through His works and by His faith in the Father.

Luke 12:22–34 ³²“Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. ³³Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. ³⁴For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

            Our treasure is Jesus Christ, His heart is with us so that our heart can be with Him.  It would be worth having a tail to wag just to show the excitement that our Lord grows in us each day we ponder on the salvation he has given to all, wanting for all, perfecting for all.  Amen.

Written by Pastor Curtis May