Faith

Without faith a man can do nothing;
with it all things are possible.

-- Sir William Osler

Faith is the substance of things hoped for,
the evidence of things not seen.

-- Hebrews 11:1

All things are possible to him that believeth.

-- Mark 9:23

I never saw a moor,
I never saw the sea;
Yet know I how the heather looks,
And what a wave must be.
I never spoke with God,
Nor visited in heaven;
Yet certain am I of the spot
As if the chart were given.

-- Emily Dickinson

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
He leadeth me besides the still waters.
He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of
righteousness for His name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow
of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me;
Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:
Thou annointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the
days of my life: And I will dwell in the house
of the Lord forever.

-- Psalms 23

The Lord is my strength and my shield;
my heart trusteth in Him, and I am helped.

-- Psalms 28:7

This is the chronic anxiety age. Who could disagree that each and everyone of us is consciously or subconsciously affected by present conditions. Destruction of human life under such conditions today is sad beyond words. Human beings have always lived in anxiety. We are creatures of heredity and environment. Also, we have to face the truth, that none of us alive today will be here 100 years from now. So why worry ourselves to death prematurely. We must resign ourselves to faith. What is faith? Faith is a power greater than man that manifests itself in different ways to different people. Faith in one who was the creator, the giver of life. We all need faith that dedicates us to something bigger and more important than ourselves or our possessions. Also, we must respect the opinions of others, even if we disagree with them. We owe life as much as it owes us. The Bible, also the dictionary, defines faith--but down to the real facts. Faith is the thing at the core of you, the sediment that is left when hopes and illusions are drained away which most of us experience during a lifetime.

-- June Smith