Faith is the theme that runs through the texts today. What does faith mean to you?

Hebrews 11:1 says, “faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” The first reading reminds us that Abraham’s faith was “reckoned to him as righteousness (Gen. 15:6).” Jesus warns his disciples to watch and be ready because “the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour (Luke 12:40).” He urges them to not put their faith in money and power, but to give to the poor and make purses of an “unfailing treasure in heaven…for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Luke 12:33-34).”

The word faith in these texts is translating the Greek word pistis. It is sometimes translated believe, or trust.

My word for this year is TRUST. To trust something is to have more than an intellectual agreement with something’s truthfulness. TRUST is a whole-bodied activity.

I know this is an ongoing conversation, especially within Lutheran circles. Is it our faith in Christ that saves us, or is it Christ’s faith that saves us?

I’ll let you sort that out (I think it is …YES!) read more here.

I often use the story of Charles Blondin, the tightrope walker, as a way to understand trust. He was able to walk a wheel barrel on a tight rope across the Niagara falls. When he asked the crowd if they believed he could do it, they all raised their hands to say, “Yes.” When he asked for a volunteer to get in the wheel barrel and ride with him, all hands were down.

To trust something is to put your whole self into it and know they will get you to the other side. In what do we trust?

Quite honestly, I don’t trust the government. I don’t trust the uber wealthy plutocracy that controls our world. I don’t trust the mob mentality that swarms the streets and floods social media. I don’t trust the inflammatory rhetoric that screams from both sides of the aisle.

Most days, I don’t trust myself because I know my weaknesses.

This year, I pray that God will help me TRUST in the deep, mysterious, infinite love of God made known to us through Jesus the Christ, made possible to flow through us in the power of the Holy Spirit so that it might overflow from us for the sake of ALL FLESH.

No one is excluded from this love.

Oh Lord, help me…help us…trust, to have faith. Enjoy this video where I draw Trust.