Ian Barclay's Thought For The Day

A CHRISTIAN LOOKS AT MATTHEW’S GOSPEL
The man with leprosy exercises faith
Reading: Matthew 8:1-4 Click to view passage

I expect people have said to you, “I wish I had your faith.” I don’t know how you reply but I always say, “Well you do!” Common faith is something that we share with the whole of mankind and everyday you can see it being exercised by millions of people.

Faith in the bible is not a leap in the dark, it has three precise steps. (i) Knowledge. We don’t know how but somehow this man had acquired the knowledge that Jesus could heal him. Then he has (ii) Belief. He showed his belief as he said, “Lord if you are willing, you can make me clean.” (v2). (iii) Trust. His trust is rewarded by healing.

You can see a mass exercising of faith, if you go to either Brighton or Hove station early in the morning. Let’s say we go to Hove station at 6:45am. Across on platform 3 there is quite a crowd of men and women waiting, somehow they have acquired Knowledge that at 6:50am there is a fast rain to Victoria. Their knowledge is quite precise, note they are not on platform 1 or 2! This knowledge has come via the “word” of the timetable. Belief, although some might say, “I only believe in the things I can see” there is nothing in sight! Apart from the occasions when there are leaves on the line or the wrong sort of snow, their trust is rewarded. Here is another reason for studying our bible, it gives us the knowledge which is the foundation of faith.

Meditation: What can I learn from today’s passage?

Prayer pointer: Help me to see that faith is built on a knowledge of God say in the bible.

Matthew: 40