Last month we discussed putting our faith in action. This month we will be examining the object of our faith. If faith is an important aspect of our lives, then we should be intentional about that in which we have placed our faith.

What is the object of your faith? Is it other people, ideas, the desires of your heart, emotions, or human reasoning? Or is it God?

We must be careful not to place undue faith in other people. Whether politicians, influencers, or even pastors, humans ought not to be the objects of our faith. To be sure, there are really good pastors, influencers, and even politicians who love God, honor Scripture, and walk their talk. Yet only God knows their hearts, minds, and motives. Humans are fallible and, given enough time, they will let us down. Reasonable respect for a person or position is appropriate and even godly, yet reverence should be reserved only for God. Humans were not designed to be the objects of our faith. Humans are prone to fail (Psalm 73:26) but God never will (Hebrews 13:5-7).

Ideas ought not be the object of our faith. At times even the best ideas can distort our focus if we are not vigilant in keeping a proper perspective. Our best hope of earthly utopia can never be a reality this side of heaven. We can and should work toward supporting good things and debating with one another what might be best for the future of our family, church, nation, and even humankind. But, when we elevate any good idea above the God-given command to first pursue righteousness, we have misplaced the object of our faith (Matthew 6:33).

Our strongest desires are also not suitable objects of faith. For years my husband and I tried to get pregnant. I desperately wanted to have a baby, and I had great faith that it would happen. But, despite all the months, medicine, and doctors, it didn’t happen. It turns out that I had confused my hopeful wants with genuine faith. I had no word or confirmation from God that it would happen. I just wanted it to be true, despite the medical reports indicating it was practically impossible. This was not true faith. This was just my wish-filled thinking. Certainly, we must leave room for God to move, work, and intervene in our circumstances, and trust Him to do so. But Genuine faith isn’t giving God a dare or ultimatum. He isn’t a genie in a bottle just waiting to deliver our every wish. Genuine faith is developed by walking closely with Him, hearing from Him and His word, and following His lead so that our selfish, wish-filled thinking is replaced with the mind inclined toward the things of God first. Matthew 6:33 (CSB) says to “seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.”

The faith we are called to isn’t blind belief. It is a calculated decision based on credible evidence. In the case of Thomas the disciple, which we discussed in March, there was (and still is) a mountain of compelling information from Old Testament and other historic writings, Jesus’ own words, the words of the other disciples, the empty tomb, (and now scores of other social and archaeological evidence) to support Jesus’ claim that He is the Messiah. In fact, the book of Matthew testifies that Jesus told His disciples on no less than 11 occasions that He would go to Jerusalem, be wrongly convicted, beaten, and killed, but then would be raised form the dead after three days. And it happened just like He said. Thomas was not called to blind faith, but to choose Jesus as the genuine object of his faith – rather than his emotions or human reasoning.

Sometimes it might seem as though the topic of faith is blind belief in something, without questioning. That is not the faith to which God calls us. When we place our faith in God, we do so because of His nature, His past faithfulness, and His word. Scripture says that all creation testifies about God (Psalm 19:1, Romans 1:20, Job 38:1-7). And Scripture is full of evidence proven by natural sciences, historic and archeological records, and logic proofs that God is who He says He is and the Bible, especially in it’s original language, can be trusted. We have ample evidence to support God as the only true object of our faith.

This month I will be providing four messages at a women’s retreat on the topic of knowing God. I love that no matter how much we know God, there is always so much more to know. I truly believe that the more we know Him, the more we love Him, trust Him, and have faith in Him.

So go ahead and put your best faith forward, in God!