Faith Rooted in God
I was inspired while reading a historical fiction account of the life of Mary McLeod Bethune, founder of Bethune-Cookman University. The stories of her determination and care for others led me to read more about her. One account tells how in the early 1900s, she “described” the buildings at her school for young African American women to a wealthy businessman. But when he visited the “campus,” he found only one building. She’d described her dream to him, hoping that he would invest in the school. Her faith and vision worked together to secure funding. Her school eventually became—and still is—a four-year university.
Bethune is credited with saying: “Without faith, nothing is possible. With it, nothing is impossible.” Her quote is similar to what Jesus told the astonished disciples who were asking questions about salvation. They were trying to figure out how people could “enter the kingdom of God,” or heaven (Matthew 19:24). They wanted to know “who then can be saved?” (v. 25). Jesus shared with His followers that faith in God was the only way, because “with God all things are possible” (v. 26).
Faith is rooted in a belief in God and His abilities. Faith prompts us to believe in the possibility of things we don’t see yet (see Hebrews 11:1)—like a dream of a school for the underprivileged or an eternal home for those who accept Christ. May God help us see what He sees.
By: Katara Patton - Our Daily Bread Ministries
Matthew 19:23-26
23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?”
26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
