Lucy Honeychurch is a young Englishwoman struggling to find herself and decide how she wants to live in E. M. Forster’s novel, A Room With A View. In particular, she is faced with whether she wishes to retain the sensibilities and manners with which she has been raised or to reject this upbringing and live differently. Her struggle is obvious to the more discerning, of which belongs Mr. Beebe. After Lucy gives a flourishing rendition of a Beethoven sonata, he comments, “If Miss Honeychurch ever takes to live as she plays . . . it will be very exciting, both for us and for her.”
Do you ever wonder if God has thought something like that about us? Do you think He ever says with a sigh to Gabriel or Michael, “See that child of mine down there—if they ever start living like they believe . . . well, watch out!” Or, “See that church of mine? See that family? One day their walk will match their talk and the world will see.”
And who among us hasn’t sighed at the disparity between the way we want to live (in our better moments), and the tepid, ordinary manner in which so much of life works out? Not only is our reach well beyond our grasp but it seems cruel to have the ability to imagine such loftiness when reality confines us so close to the ground.
Is there a better day coming?
Perhaps but maybe it’s already here. Maybe we’ve just been looking in the wrong direction. Ephesians 3:20-21 says that God is able to do more than we can ask or imagine. Then there’s that story in John 6 about the little boy who gives his lunch to Jesus. It wasn’t much was it?—a couple of fish and a few small loaves of bread. But do you remember what Jesus did with it? He did something amazing and thousands of people were fed. God can do unbelievable things with two fish and five loaves!
There’s no doubt that our behavior needs to blend with our belief or that our Father wants us to work toward maturity in this area. But let’s also take some time to reexamine what we believe about God and His involvement in our lives. Let’s make sure our trust is in the power of God rather than our own ability. Feeble beliefs here will make for a feeble life! Let’s make sure we understand that “God can pour on the blessings in astonishing ways so that you’re ready for anything and everything,” (2 Corinthians 9:8 The Message). He can call glory out of the ordinary and He can do glorious things with our two fish and five loaves!
Do you believe this?
A Taste of Grace with Bruce Green 