Did you know that you are a very important person in God’s plans? For real. It does not necessarily feel like it or even look like it from your perspective. But when you look at the big picture or from God’s perspective, you see the importance of every person in the relay of faith.

Just the same way we need to look at the big picture and not to be satisfied with partial truths when we are reading the Bible. Take for example the great story of the capture of Jericho, how God supernaturally helps Joshua and the Israelites take over the city. If we only read this story of Joshua we could draw a conclusion that God always works supernaturally. But that’s not the case.

If we continue to read the book of Joshua we find out that the next city, Ai, was conquered strategically and not supernaturally. Hence we learn God does not always act supernaturally on our behalf. And at the same time we get a much more wholesome picture of Christian living. We need to pray like everything depended on God, and then plan and act like everything depended on us. God will either act supernaturally on our behalf of he will not. It’s up to God to decide.

In both cases Joshua still needed to act by faith. God gave his marching orders to Joshua and in both cases Joshua obeyed and acted by faith. Even though what God commanded him to do – to march around the city of Jericho for seven days – must have sounded bizarre. But By faith Jericho’s walls fell after the people marched around them for seven days. (Hebrews 11:30, CEB) The same way we need to follow God’s guidance even when it does not make sense to us at that moment.

Just like the saints before us we need to act by faith. We need to live out our faith according to God’s marching orders. We need to remember to look at the big picture, the whole salvation plan of God and our place in that, and not just at our own ordinary lives or how much sense God’s marching orders sometimes make.

All these people didn’t receive what was promised, though they were given approval for their faith. God provided something better for us so they wouldn’t be made perfect without us. So then let’s also run the race that is laid out in front of us, since we have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us. Let’s throw off any extra baggage, get rid of the sin that trips us up, and fix our eyes on Jesus, faith’s pioneer and perfecter. (Hebrews 11:39- 12:2, CEB)

Each one of us is very much needed in this relay of faith. We need to act by faith in order to pass on the baton to the next generation of saints. We need to live by faith in order to be in that number that are finally marching in!

Be inspired for the relay of faith by Bruce Springsteen and the Seeger Sessions Band!

Gracious God,
We so want to be in that number
that is marching in!
We want to surrender our lives to you
and live by faith according to
your marching orders.
Give us ears that hear,
and eyes that see
what you are planning for us to do.
Strengthen us for the relay of faith,
so we could faithfully pass on the baton
to the next generation of saints.
Be praised for your superior salvation plan!
Give us your grace so we could be
in that number
that is marching in!
In Jesus’ name,
Amen

Q4U: Have you found your place in the relay of faith?

Be blessed, my fellow pilgrim, as you press on toward the goal!

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Do you want to win a copy of the Common English Bible softcover edition? Just leave a comment on any blog post this week (or any week during the blog tour). The winner will be announced again on Monday!

All these CEB giveaways are possible because I am participating in the Common English Bible Blog tour. During the next two months I will mostly be using the Common English Bible (CEB) on my blog posts. Let’s check out this fresh new Bible translation!

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Linking up today with What’s on Your Heart Tuesdays & Soli Deo Gloria & One Word at a Time: Marching Blog Carnival. Image courtesy of ochristian.com.