The just shall live by faith.
The Bible presents Jesus as “upholding all things by the word of His power.” Heb. 1:3. That word not only has power to uphold, but “is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.” Acts 20:32.
An instance of the upholding power of Christ’s word is given in Matt. 14:25-32. The disciples were on the raging sea, when they were astonished by the appearance of Jesus walking on the water. When Jesus reassured them with, “Be of good cheer; it is
I; be not afraid,” Peter said, “Lord, if it be Thou, bid me come unto Thee on the water. And He said unto him, Come.”
Peter at once responded to the word “Come,” and “walked on the water to go to Jesus.” Some might hastily suppose that it was the water that held Peter up; but a little reflection will show that it was not so. It is contrary to nature for water to hold a man up; and we read that when Peter “saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.” Jesus caught him, saying, “O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?”
If it had been the water that was supporting him, he would not have begun to sink; for the water was just the same where he sunk as it was where he walked. So when we remember the words of Jesus, “Wherefore didst thou doubt?” We know that when Peter walked on the water, it was the word of Jesus that supported him. It was the word “Come” that brought him, and it was only when he distrusted that word that he began to go down.
The same word that held Peter on top of the water, can hold a man up in the air. Elijah and Elisha were at one time walking along together when Elijah began to rise in the air. Why was it? Because the Lord had said to Elijah, “Come;” and since the prophet had always obeyed the word of the Lord, he obeyed that word also.
We read that “by faith Enoch was translated.” Heb. 11:5. But “faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Rom. 10:17. So it was the word of the Lord that took Enoch as well as Elijah through the air to meet the Lord. But they were only forerunners of those who, being alive when the Lord descends from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise, shall be “caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air.” 1 Thess. 4:16, 17.
What is it that will support those favored ones, and hold them up in the air? The same word that upheld Peter on the water. The Lord will say, “Come, ye blessed of My Father.” Matt. 25:34. Those who have been accustomed to obeying the word of the Lord, will respond at once, and will be taken; while those who have not obeyed every word of the Lord, will not obey that one, and will be left.
If you have neglected to take the word of the Lord as applying to you personally, you will not accept that word, “Come,” as applying to you. Only if you recognize that every time the Lord speaks He speaks to you, will you be able to take that word to yourself. The waiting ones will be those who have lived on the word of the Lord, so that at the word “Come,” they will, as the most natural thing in the world, go to meet the Lord. Happy are you when you know the sustaining power of the word, and take it all to yourself.
Living By Faith- E.J.W., and A.T.J.
Maranatha