Hosanna Restoration Church

Just as prayer is not just asking God for things in a time of need, so faith is not just sitting around waiting to see what God is going to do. Jesus was a man of action. Paul said that faith without works is dead. Action takes on many forms. At times it is simply waiting. Have you ever noticed how much waiting wears you out? Of course it would not wear us out as much if we would learn to rest while we wait!

As I considered acting, I was reminded that actors are guided by the director. They know the script, but they really do not know how the movie is going to play out. I understand that in our modern high-tech age that movies are shot in bits and pieces all over the place. They sometimes are made over the course of a year or more and no one really knows how they turn out until the director and editor get done splicing all the pieces together. The actors themselves only see the finished product long after they have each done their part.

We can take comfort in knowing that God is putting all things together for our good. One person is doing their part while another is doing their part and God is putting it all together perfectly. As longs as the director is getting what He wants, we can rest assured that the finished product will be an award winner.

We can also be encouraged that each part is very important in the whole scope of things. Nothing that we do for the King in His Kingdom will be cut out and left forgotten on the editing room floor. Every little thing is treasured and remembered by God.

Now, as to how we should act. This verse in Colossians has always been a bit intimidating to me. That was because I always looked at it as a standard that I had to achieve in my strength. In other words, if I was going to say I am a Christian then I better be just like Jesus or I better not say anything. I am so excited to realize that it does not say that at all! It says that since we have received Christ, now we can walk in Him. We walk surrounded by Him. We are rooted in Him and built up in Him. We are established in Him and we can abound in Him. That is something to shout thank you for!

The Kingdom of God is one transition after another. We make the transition from lost to saved. God delivered us from the power of darkness and translated us into the Kingdom of His dear son. This changes the way we act and think. This same transition moves us from unmerited favor to special favor and blessing which when we grasp it, changes once a gain how we act and think. This continues on with each step deeper into His Kingdom.

Very seldom does an actor do his part perfectly the first time. The same is true when it comes to us acting out our faith. It is comforting to know that God is the perfect director and that He has given us all that we need to perfectly perform our part. As we pray, we receive perfect directions. Now it is up to us to act.