Newness of Faith
In the early 90s, the Ray-Ban Original Wayfarer Classics were trending among artists and celebrities. Since I wanted to own something iconic, I bought myself a pair of the tortoise-framed sunglasses with green lenses. Of course I found every excuse to wear them … even indoors! Once in a restaurant, I could make out shapes and movements but after bumping into furniture and people I finally felt wearing dark shades in a “dark” room was idiotic. I needed to see where I was going and find my friends, so off went the sunglasses. Sure enough the “dark” room was not dark at all, but sufficiently lit for me to appreciate the restaurant’s décor and to see my friends happily waving at me to come over to our reserved table.
This is what newness of faith in God does for us: it clears our vision, softens our attitudes, and strengthens our hope for tomorrow.
God’s love for us is amazingly persistent and faithful. He is unfazed by our hardheadedness, pride, and inconsistencies. Every morning when we wake up, He calmly whispers into our hearts and spirits—“You yearn for safety. Look, I have opened a straight path for you. Now walk in it. Have no fear. Have faith.”
How can we but respond: “We heed You, Lord, and we embrace Your call to newness of faith for You hold our yesterdays, our today, and our tomorrows. It is You who have brought us to such a time as this, and it will still be You who will bring us to where we are going in our lives, in the life of our community, in the life of our country, and in the life of Your world.”
And so with faith renewed daily, God clears our vision that we may discern Him in the people around us and perceive His hand in the circumstances we face. He softens our attitudes that we may be proper examples of His love and excellence toward those we love and serve, and toward the world He has given us as a trust and a heritage. He strengthens our hope with faith so we can find joy in our every day and in the work He has already set for us to do, fulfilling His purpose in our generation.
Though the world may seem to have fallen into deep darkness, we have the power and ability to remove the dark lenses that blind us to the Light. Through newness of faith, hope is strengthened, joy is found, and love is celebrated.
