Joyfully accept the plundering of your property

Blogs can be a bit dull without any pictures, so here's one:

At times I am amazed at my lack of faith in the Lord. I was pondering this last month as I thought about my day. I seem to have greater faith in things of this world than I do in God.

1. I set my alarm fully believing and trusting that it will go off when I want it to (not that this means I actually get up right away......).
2. I have faith that the water will come out of the shower head when I turn on the faucet.
3. I have faith that the bus will show up to take me to school (though not that it will be on time; the 8:06 am orange bus destroyed that faith a long time ago).
4. Perhaps the greatest area in which I exercise faith is in playing the saxophone. I have to trust my horn to work every single time I go to play it--especially reeds.

I know that the sort of faith I have in those things is different than the sort I have in God, but with all of those it is still "the assurance of things hoped for and the conviction of things not seen." Heb. 11:1 Or as Webster's puts it, "firm belief in something for which there is no proof." And at times I trust the alarm clock more than I trust the Lord to work out some of the things He has put before us. I believe more strongly at times that the water will flow from the faucet when I turn the knob than I do that God will reveal Himself to those around us as we seek Him.

I want God to cultivate in me a faith like that of those in Hebrews. I want to have a sure faith all of the time, not most of it. I don't want to be like those in Israel whom Jeremiah rebuked for not being as faithful as those who follow false gods (Jer. 2:9-13). May Jesus continue to refine me for His glory.

"But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one." Heb. 10:32-34