“Where is your faith?” Luke 8:25
Imagine what it would be like to have breakfast with Jesus. Picture yourself sitting in McDonald’s or Panera, with Jesus on the other side of the table.
As he eats his pancakes, you seize the opportunity to tell him what’s on your mind. You talk about your family. You tell him about your coworkers, and how difficult it has been to break through to them. You talk about the tide of the culture, and how strongly it pulls against living the Christian life. You talk about your fears for the future.
Jesus listens, and slowly puts down his fork. Then he looks into your eyes and says, “Where is your faith?” Remember, the disciples have left everything to follow him. They still have a great deal to learn about Jesus, but they are his disciples. The problem is not that they are without faith. The problem is that they are not using the faith that they have.
This is like a father walking into a store with his son, and the son sees something he likes and he says, “Dad, will you buy this for me?” The father says, “Where is your money?” The point of the question is that the father wants him to use what he has already given him. So, when the father asks, “Where is your money?” he is saying, “Use what I’ve already given to you.”
Faith is the gift of God. It is the special work of the Holy Spirit to open your eyes to who Jesus is, to show you your need of him, and to create within you the capacity to trust him. He takes away your hard heart and gives you a new heart. You are a new creation. And you have the gift of faith. But Jesus’ question makes it clear that it is possible to have faith and not use it.
Can you hear this question as if Jesus were asking it directly to you?