When Little Is Big Enough

Today I am honored to share a Guest Post by Debbie Wilson who will be releasing her new book March 8 entitled, Little Women Big God, which looks at the women in the genealogy of Christ. Please enjoy this brief glimpse into her work. From those who leave comments, one person will be chosen to receive a free copy of her book.

Enjoy!!

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When Little Is Big Enough

Have you ever thought, When I have more spiritual knowledge and experience, then I’ll boldly live my faith? The biblical story of Rahab challenges that notion.

Sometimes, those of us blessed with Bible knowledge are tempted to assess our faith by how much we know rather than by what we do with what we know. Rahab had little personal knowledge of the one true living God, but at the risk of her own life, she put every bit of what she knew into practice. God rewarded her bold faith with a place in his Son’s genealogy.

While the Bible commends Rahab for her faith, it demonstrates it was not the size of her faith but the size of her God that saved her. Faith is only as reliable as its object. Let me illustrate.

Thick Versus Thin Ice

One year, our family lived on a small lake in northern Indiana right below the Snowbelt. Coming from southern California, my jaw dropped the first time I saw heavy trucks travel across frozen water. When we moved to Raleigh, my kindergarten-aged son remembered the trucks on the lake. He tried to scoot across a North Carolina pond after only a few days of freezing weather. Thankfully, he fell through at the shallow edge. Great faith in thin ice won’t hold up a child.

The thickness of the ice, not the driver’s faith, held up the truck in Indiana. Rahab’s faith worked because of a great God, not because of the size of her faith, the depth of her knowledge, or the breadth of her experience.

Experience Versus Action

Thirty-eight years before Rahab’s heroic act of hiding Israel’s spies, ten other Hebrew spies personally witnessed God’s miracles in Egypt and the parting of the Red Sea. Despite their impressive personal experiences, these men focused on the size of their enemy instead of the faithfulness of their God and shrank back in fear.

Physical senses are unreliable indicators of spiritual realities. These men measured their chances for success by comparing themselves with their enemies. They should have measured their enemies against their God. Their misplaced faith harmed the loved ones they’d hoped to protect. God closed the Promised Land to that rebellious generation. More knowledge, more experiences, and more time won’t grow passive faith.

Paul wrote: “I know whom I have believed,” not what (2 Tim. 1:12; emphasis mine). Does your faith rely on your experience, feelings of self-confidence, or knowledge? Rahab reminds us, life-changing faith doesn’t depend on the breadth of our experience or the depth of our knowledge, but on the size of our God.

Question: How might applying what you already know enhance the quality of your life and faith?

(excerpted from Little Women, Big God: It’s not the size of your problems, but the the size of your God.)

 

 

Debbie Wilson wants to celebrate the release of her new book with you. Little Women, Big God: It’s not the size of your problems, but the size of your God comes out March 8th. Please leave a comment to enter to win a free copy. If you’re in a hurry, simply say, “I’m trusting a big God!”

 

DebbieWilson

About Debbie:

Debbie W. Wilson is an ordinary woman who has experienced an extraordinary God. Drawing from her personal walk with Christ, twenty-four years as a Christian counselor, and decades as a Bible teacher, Debbie speaks and writes to help women discover relevant faith. She and her husband, Larry, founded Lighthouse Ministries in 1991. They, along with their two grown children and two standard poodles, enjoy calling North Carolina home. Share her journey to refreshing faith at her blog.

(www.debbiewwilson.com)

 

 

13 thoughts on “When Little Is Big Enough

  1. I am so guilty of thinking it’s the size of my faith (not the size of my God). I love the example of the ice. That image will stay with me to remind me that the object of my faith is reliable. Reading this also brought me back to my one word for the year: ENOUGH. God truly is a big God who is ENOUGH for me.
    Thanks for sharing this with us. I’m glad I found you on Making Your Home Sing linkup.

    1. We all can be! Debbie does a great job of bringing us great teaching and examples. He is BIG Enough!! Love having you stop by! I hope you enjoyed the story I posted today about a modern day Rahab testimony.

  2. The 10? Probably my favorite passage in the Bible. There’s a plateful of meat awaiting the diner when sitting down to Numbers 13-14. This one is like grabbing a fork and digging right in: “these men focused on the size of their enemy instead of the faithfulness of their God and shrank back in fear.” Praying for and wishing Debbie the best, even more so for the readers as they receive from God alone. #raralinkup

    1. Truly said, Kristi! Debbie has a feast for us in this book. I am sure your words will be encouraging to her. Have a blessed day! I hope you will check out my post tomorrow for another Rahab story and testimony.

  3. I love this post! The focus is on our Big God! Thank you for pulling us from ourselves to Him! Excited about your book! congratulations:)

  4. What a beautiful story about faith, Debbie. When my faith is wavering I mentally remind myself, “Do you know how big your God is and what He’s capable of doing?” This story illustrates that beautifully through Rahab. Thank you for sharing.

    1. Crystal, that is the perfect question to renew your focus! It is amazing how a simple change in focus changes everything!

  5. Rahab’s story always intrigues me. I long for more information about her. She knew Who she could trust and her belief was credited to her as righteousness. Congratulations to Debbie!

    1. I agree! Be sure to check out my post on Wednesday for another Rahab story I have been wanting to share that fits perfectly to follow this post! Love you, my friend!

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