Faith That Imagines

When we daily spend time reading and mediating on God's Word our minds will be changed. We will think more clearly and discern more accurately spiritual things. Most of all, we can imagine or picture God working on your behalf regardless to our present circumstances. Beloved, God wants us to move us away from terminal thinking to eternal thinking.

Remember Jesus comforted Lazarus sisters’ that this sickness did not lead to death (John 11:4). Yes, Lazarus physically died, but he was not spiritual dead as those who are outside of Christ. Jesus viewed Lazarus as taking a nap (John 11:11).

How many dreams, hopes and plans are just taking a rest while waiting for the Lord to breath life into them? But to us, it's over, too far gone and deeply buried under layers of unbelief and doubt. Why resurrect a broken relationship? Why stir to life a dream of being a minister? Why even try to imagine a life that is full of hope and peace when I made so many mistakes? Besides, some might say, leave the past alone, it's best to just move on!

In Mark 5:39 Jesus went to raise a young girl from the dead. Those weeping in the house ridiculed him. How many things buried in our heart appear quite dead? Even Sarah, Abraham's wife, laughed when she was told she'd have a son at her age!

And then there is a Thomas who was grounded in the factual, reality. He had to touch in order to believe. Sadly, there are some who are just black and white thinkers – there is no color in their imagination. What can be touched, handled, seen or tasted is considered truth. They are concrete believers, stuck and immobile, unable to imagine a victory before it actually happens.

They can't imagine the Red Sea parting and the enemy being swallowed up after God made a way through a wall of water. Instead they stare at the vast sea and hear the hoof beats of the enemy bearing down on us. Their mind closes up and imagine a certain death rather than a possibility of God making a way out!

Beloved, God wants to deliver us from fatalistic living and instill faith that doesn't just look at the mountains, but speaks and the mountains move.

Thomas says in verse 16, “Let us go that we may die with Him”. Did he hear anything the Lord was saying regarding waking up Lazarus? If Jesus can raise a dead man, then certainly he can raise Himself up should he meet an untimely end – but we know that isn't the case. Thomas can’t picture Lazarus rising from the dead because like most believer’s because it hasn't been done before why even imagine praying along those lines!

And you would think Thomas after seeing the Lord raise Lazarus from the dead could now imagine and believe how Jesus Himself would be raised by the Father. But Thomas refused to believe until he touched the Lord’s nailed scarred hands and side. But to those who believe with out seeing are more blessed for they see through the eyes of faith.

Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." (John 20:29 NIV).

Just imagine what God can do when you pray bold, vivid and living prayers!