doing

One of my most helpful antidotes against worry or fear is to do something. Not just to exercise faith in some kind of passive way. Oh, of course there's a time for that. Sometimes we need to be still and know that he is God. Sometimes we have to shut up and listen. Sometimes we need to quit trying to solve the problem ourselves, and just rest.

Doing gets bad press among us Protestant evangelicals. After all, we're children of the Reformation which makes it clear that our salvation is by grace alone through faith alone apart from works. But as I was reminded today by N.T. Wright, what we do really does matter.

Yes, again faith can be passive. But quite often it's active. By faith I do certain things, whether or not it seems to make sense to me at the time or not. For example for me taking communion is important. All do it once a month at our church, but it's made available for any after each service. I think it keeps us close to being accountable as well as aware of the salvation of Jesus for us. Reminded of this great salvation through his death for us- his broken body and shed blood. And accountable to both receive and live in this forgiving, sanctifying (cleansing, making holy) grace.

Another important activity of doing for me is both reading and listening to God's word, Scripture. I have to keep at this, and every day. Like the manna that was to be gathered daily, we too are to live on the bread that God supplies in Jesus and in his word, Scripture. And it takes the whole word, not just bits and pieces of it, just as we need the whole Christ.

One more important activity I'll mention here is the necessity of praying. This is something we do. It has passive elements, and there's a dependence on the Spirit. But we have to pray whether or not we feel like it, or sense the Spirit in it or not. We need to keep praying to God. This is something we need to be doing. It's a matter of faith, but faith without doing, is no faith at all, according to James.

All of this needs to be done in the context of the Jesus Creed, by the way. This is of the utmost importance, and we dare not lose sight of it. If we're not moved by love for God and for others, our faith is empty and of no value (1 Corinthians 13; Galatians 5:6). Of course this is all "in Jesus". And ends up being a part of his special ongoing work of God in the world through the Spirit.

What would you like to add here?