Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.
By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.
By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead.
By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.” For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith. …
- Hebrews 11:1-7
And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated—the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground.
These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.
- Hebrews 11:32-40
For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.
- Romans 15:4
“God rewards those who have faith in Him. Without faith, it’s impossible to please God.”
- My wife’s ideas on the Scriptures above (2009)
My wife looked at Enoch a little further.
“If we didn’t believe, why go to pray to someone we don’t believe in? In going to God in prayer, we have to believe He exists.”
- My wife’s inner thoughts
But is she right? There are so many that dream of God being the “senile grandfather” as C. S. Lewis suggests, someone who wants the kids to just have fun. We might believe in a god like that, but that one is not the true God. We might go out of desperation… “God, I’ve tried everything else. I have no clue whether you exist, but I need help.”
But my wife was into having conversations. I told her on my first date that I never could talk to a girl, but she was easy to talk to. My wife told me many years later that at that moment, she was wondering if I would ever quit talking. But that was the point in her comments. She wanted a conversation, and if it was one way, with no hope there was anyone listening, then you knew you would never hear anything in return. Before my wife knew there really was a God there and that He loved us and was listening, she prayed the standard Catholic memorized prayers out of habit and duty. Then she was in a prayer group with the school principal. She learned how to formulate her thoughts in public prayer, but it still meant very little, until she knew in her heart that there was someone listening. Then she heard God speak back to her. Now, she had a conversation. Thus, why talk to God, unless you know God exists, you know He cares, and you know He answers?
But does God do as C. S. Lewis says? Note: C. S. Lewis was speaking of the wrong way to think of God at the time, but there are so many promises of God giving us our desires. Too bad, those that feel that way do not read the entire paragraph. Have Christ as your only desire and I will give you the desires of your heart.
“God knows my heart and desires. I know I may want something but if it’ll cause anxiety and hurtfulness to me, He probably won’t grant me my wish. … Sometimes I go into pray with a foolish heart, hoping that God will answer me knowing full well that it’s probably not in His plan. I admit to being a naughty child.”
- My wife, as she digs deeper
Odd, she said that she might ask for something that she really, down deep, knows is not in God’s plan, but ninety-nine times out of one hundred, she was asking for someone else. She wanted our youngest three grandchildren to experience a Disney park, although they are not the park we used to visit and the last time she was there, she broke her arm, being pushed from a ride, and tore her rotator cuff. And even after open-heart surgery, she said the worst pain ever was during rotator cuff surgery rehab. She would pray for other people for hours, and sometimes never think of her own needs. After all, she trusted God in that.
Going back to the first “with a little help” article, her one downfall was worrying, but we all do that at times.
“Keep on praying – without ceasing. He might not answer you and grant your prayer but continue to seek Him. If not one way, maybe by asking Him for wisdom and insight to a problem. Because I go to Him first and honor Him, I might fail but I always ask for forgiveness. Seek first His kingdom and His promises and everything else will be given to you.”
- My wife, as she digs even deeper
Yes, many times a non-answer from God leads us to greater wisdom. We see why God delayed or said “no.” We learn to trust in God even more, with greater faith. And as Hebrews says about Enoch, without faith, we cannot please God.
Soli Deo Gloria. Only to God be the Glory.
Thoughts from Mark "Hat" Rackley 
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