Is Your Faith Breakable or Unshakeable
by Patrick Whalen

How many grains of sand must be melted to make a single pane of glass? Certainly it depends on how big and thick the glass is to be and for what purpose is to be used for.

It comes at no surprise that a beautiful crystal glass that resonates at the touch of your hand is much thinner than the windows on an armored car. Both are made of glass, but set them next to each other and throw a rock at them. The crystal will shatter instantly. For the armored glass however, the rock will simply bounce off.

What would happen if someone threw something at you? Would you be like the crystal, beautiful to the eye and elegant to the touch yet fragile enough that any little attack could shatter you into pieces? Or would you be strong enough that you could withstand the attacks of others?

Bullet-proof glass is not one single sheet of melted sand, but composed of carefully crafted layers alternated with thin sheets of transparent plastic. The number of layers and their thickness corresponds directly with how successful that window will be at deflecting an attack. The makers of armored cars know that trying to shield their vehicles with crystal defies even the simplest logic, so why do many Christians believe it will work for them?

Much like the artisan that gathers the sand and processes it into wonderful, useful items, God wants to mold and shape you into a person of such faith that the attacks aimed at you will bounce off, leaving no marks. He wants to protect you from those that would do you harm.

The glassmaker takes years to learn his trade. He needs to learn which sand to use for different items and how to properly melt, turn and color it in order to accomplish the desired result. God already knows what kind of "sand" He is working with and He knows exactly what it will take to mold you into a strong and useful believer.

Unlike people, sand cannot refuse to cooperate within the kiln or upon the rod. In the case of personal faith and belief, God is not working with sand. He is working with people that have free will. Some readily accept the responsibility and consequences of their actions, others choose to totally disregard instruction. There are also those that want to learn but do not know from where their instructions come from.

Fortunately, the wondrous thing about God is that He did not leave people to resort to such guesswork. Acts 20:32 says, "And now I entrust you to God and the word of his grace--his message that is able to build you up and give you an inheritance with all those he has set apart for himself." He has given us His written word to read and study so that we can know how to let Him craft us not only into a beautiful vessel but also into a vessel that is safe from attack.

Do not disregard God's word and stop at the point that your faith is beautiful, but breakable. Place God's word in your heart and soul so that your faith is not only unbreakable, but it is also unshakeable.

Written 2003 - Patrick G. Whalen
Edited, April 4, 2008

Patrick Whalen is Christian husband, father, historian, writer, Civil War Reenactor, and outdoor enthusiast.

http://www.patrickgwhalen.com

Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com







Thanks!

Thank you for sharing this information with the author, it is greatly appreciated so that they are able to follow their work.

Close this window & Print