Day 2 - Pray for an Increase in Faith
I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me. Exodus 20:2-3
The first of the Ten Commandments sets the tone for the rest. What is important about the commandment to “have no other gods before me”? Protestant reformer Martin Luther thought it the most important of the commandments because it was the call to faith. The essence of the first commandment is to believe. It has been said that the breaking of commandments two through ten starts with the failure to keep the first. When we do not believe God, we make something else into a god. When something else usurps God’s place, we fall away from him and disregard our neighbor. The first and most important thing we are called to do is have faith in God and trust in Jesus Christ. Everything follows from this.
Why is faith so important? Because it is our way into relationship with God. We do not come into relationship with God through obeying a set of rules or following a moral code. God invites us into relationship with him by faith. Since the coming of Jesus, God has designated that all who would come to him must do so through his Son. To place our faith in Christ is to trust him alone for our salvation and continue to live our life in, with, and through him.
How then would you rate your level of faith? Do you tend to waver on the fence about God? Are you always questioning whether or not he loves you? Do you find your doubts overwhelming you at times? Do you question God’s purpose for your life? The devil wants us to doubt God because he wants us living in uncertainty. He does not want us to live confidently in the service of God. He wants us to waver in hesitation so that our witness for Christ is weak.
What can you do to build your faith? One thing is to read the Bible regularly. It is one of those things that builds faith in us. When we read God’s word, it reminds us of his promises and assures us of his existence, presence, and care. Read the Bible. Come to church. Fellowship with Christians. Pray. All these increase our faith.
In your prayers today, affirm your faith, trust, and belief in God. The Apostles’ Creed begins with the personal affirmation “I believe.” In your prayers be sure to tell God, “I believe.” As we begin this season of prayer, affirm your faith and pray that God will increase it.