The Focus of Faith

And there will come a time, you'll see, with no more tears

And love will not break your heart, but dismiss your fears

Get over your hill and see what you find there,

With grace in your heart and flowers in your hair

c. Mumford and Sons

Dave Harvey, in Rescuing Ambition:

As we cooperate with God's work, what delights us is no longer indulged ambition, or even ambitions for God, but God himself (p. 79).

What's the focus of faith? (p.83) . . . Faith starts with God and fixes on God. . . . The focus of true faith is not hills to be taken, battles to be won, or trials to be endured. The focus of true faith is God - and not just God in the abstract, theological sense. It's the God who's made known in the person of Jesus Christ. (p. 85) . . . Drawing near to God is a life of intimate fellowship with a Person, a life of overwhelming wonder that puts everything else into perspective. . . .

Paradoxically, when faith focuses on its main objective - drawing near to God - we don't become religiously obsessed or "too heavenly minded to be any earthly good." We actually get perspective, and we can deal with the complexities and curveballs of life in a balanced way. . . . 'With God's help, I realized that the only thing I could count on was God himself.' (p. 86-87)

How precious to know, and find continually to be true, that the only thing or person I can count on is God himself. And how steadying to know that whatever comes to pass, God is my rock, my foundation, my anchor, my all in all. Men and rulers will fail, even "good" Christian ones; I will never find one who does not. But my Lord abides forever, steadfast and true. There is no one higher than he. There is therefore nothing more worthy of my focus, joy, and pursuit than he. All else falls into place beneath him, and the joy of knowing God is the source of my joy in every lesser thing. Knowing God grants perspective on, and indeed is the fulfillment of, every ambition or desire.

Knowing You

All I once held dear, built my life upon

All this world reveres, and wars to own

All I once thought gain, I have counted loss

Spent and worthless now, compared to this

Knowing you, Jesus, knowing you

There is no greater thing

You're my all, you're the best

You're my joy, my righteousness

And I love you, Lord

Now my heart's desire is to know you more

To be found in you, and known as yours

To possess by faith what I could not earn

All surpassing gift of righteousness

Oh to know the power of your risen life

And to know you in your suffering

To become like you in your death my Lord

So with You to live, and never die

Knowing you, Jesus, knowing you

There is no greater thing

You're my all, you're the best

You're my joy, my righteousness

And I love you, Lord

by Graham Kendrick

c. 1993 Make Way Music

photo: St. Thomas Church in Leipzig, Germany 2007