Ours is a day in which people are willing to take chances. An increasing number of men and women are involved in something called Extreme Sports. These thrill seekers perform unbelievable, death defying stunts on skis, bicycles, snowmobiles, and such. They might appear to have little regard for life, but many of them would argue that their stunts are more than nerve and ignorance. They think of each event as a “calculated risk,” an exercise of faith in their equipment and the collective experience and expertise of their support team. Faith has been defined as belief or trust in something or someone. These athletes prove that faith can push them over the top, making it possible to accomplish the impossible.
Faith is also a Bible word, and God is its object. The Bible says that God “…is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think.” Sounds a little like the terminology used to describe extreme sports, doesn’t it? But by faith we can accomplish things even more impressive than the most amazing stunt ever performed at a sporting event.
Hebrews 11:6 says, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.” It is by faith that a sinful man becomes a child of God. It is by faith that he finds peace and contentment in the promises of God. By faith nations rise from ashes, and by faith the widow finds solace at the graveside of her husband of 53 years. Hebrews 11 records numerous examples of what can be accomplished in the realms of the extreme, with a thimble full of faith.
While I would not be interested in jumping out of a helicopter onto a mountain peak with a tricycle, I would like to experience the extreme power of God in my life. How about you? “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. (Romans 10:17).” Let’s get in the Word and find something new and over the top to believe God for!