I come from a family of skeptics. Its part of our spiritual genetics. The apostle that ministered to my ancestors was Doubting Thomas. And like him, we all insist on experiencing Christ for ourselves. We have long, heated theological discussions at family reunions. Faith issues are not just accepted as obvious truths, but hashed out according to individual experiences and opinions.
So I was surprised when my Dad, who was recently diagnosed with cancer, made the following statement: “My confidence is in Christ. Whether I am healed or whether I die early, I feel ready to accept it. I am confident in Christ!”
My Dad’s faith is not based on positive results. He didn’t say that he is depending on Christ to heal him. He has gone beyond belief, faith and trust to confidence in Christ.
Is this level of certainty and boldness about Christ possible for those who have not faced the possibility of death? I want to be courageous, fearless, but most of the time I feel more like piglet from “Winnie the Pooh”. My faith is timid, cautious, shaky.
Yet, I have hope that my spiritual legacy will be different. I’ve learned a lot from my Dad already and I hope to learn from his latest experiences as well. I pray that I inherit this confidence in Christ!
That's great to hear about your dad's declaration. Praise God! And, yes, that is a deeper level for sure. Thanks for the differentiation.
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