It’s a common response during times of uncertainty to tell our doubting selves and maybe even others to just “keep the faith.” Most of the time this statement means to hold on until the future looks brighter, to put your trust in God without question, to remain optimistic even in the face of great challenges. Yet, is this really the kind of faith that God calls us to embody? The kind of faith found in the scriptures isn’t one that eliminates life’s difficulties, doubts, or challenges. Faith is not a noun we possess, but instead a verb that we encounter and embody.
From July 31 through September 4, our Sunday worship will be an opportunity to explore how we are called to “keep the faith” in these difficult times. We will use the lectionary readings from the book of Hebrews and the Gospel of Luke as our conversation partners. Each week our reflection on these readings will invite us to dig a little deeper with our faith, so we may hear the invitation that faith truly is to move us from individualism to intimate fellowship with one another; to empower us to see the unseen; to boldly seek God in the face of opposition; to trust God to transform us in ways we can only imagine; and to be willing and ready to pick up a cross.