HOLY SPIRIT INCREASE OUR FAITH

Often I think of this scripture from Hebrews 11:1, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

My grandmother's home is in the heart of Minnesota. You can see for miles in all directions. To the untrained eye the land appears barren and empty, but actually it teems with wildlife.

When my grandfather harvested milo, he saw dozens of birds and animals that had been hidden all summer, feasting and growing fat in preparation for the lean winter months. There were brilliantly colored pheasant cocks and their drab harems; quail calling, "bobwhite, bobwhite!"; cottontails and long-eared jackrabbits; bushy-tailed foxes; lanky coyotes; and even white-tailed deer. When the noisy combines finished their work, the creatures disappeared into the stalk field to wait until the spring wheat again grew green and tall. We would see only occasional signs of their presence, but we know they are still on the farm.

Sometimes even I have trouble finding God's Presence just as I do the animals'. My soul experiences desert times when I feel abandoned, alienated and alone. Like the time after my grandfather had died, my grandmother faced the hard fact that she would have sell the family farm. It was a hard decision to make at a time when we were all grieving a huge loss in our family.

But I have God's promise that His Holy Spirit is always there, guiding, guarding, comforting, and helping. From time to time, I catch a glimpse: a Scripture that speaks to my sense of loss; the friend who's gone through a similar loss and offers help; the still, small Voice that whispers, "I hold the future. Trust Me." And I know that God is alive and well, actively working in the world, and in my life. Take a moment now to feel that Jesus Christ is near.