responding to the gift of faith...

For by grace you have been saved through faith.

And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God...

Ephesians 2:8 ESV

The gift of faith... it is a gift of grace...

Continuing thoughts on faith...

led me to discover... 

how He calls us to respond to faith...

I found it woven through Isaiah 43...

But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob,

he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you;

I have called you by name, you are mine.

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;

and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;

when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,

and the flame shall not consume you.

For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.

I give Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in exchange for you.

Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you.

I give men in return for you, peoples in exchange for your life.

Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east,

and from the west I will gather you, I will say to the north,

Give up, and to the south, Do not withhold;

bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the end of the earth,

everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory,

whom I formed and made."

Bring out the people who are blind, yet have eyes,

who are deaf, yet have ears! All the nations gather together,

and the peoples assemble. Who among them can declare this,

and show us the former things? Let them bring their witnesses

to prove them right, and let them hear and say, It is true.

"You are my witnesses," declares the Lord,

"and my servant whom I have chosen, that you may know

and believe me and understand that I am he. ...

Isaiah 43:1-10 ESV

Let me pare it down for you... to where I see... what He says...

Fear not, for I have redeemed you... you are Mine...

...you are precious in My eyes... and honored... and I love you...

... Do not withhold...

...everyone who is called by My name... I created for My glory...

You are My witnesses... and My servant whom I have chosen...

that you may know and believe Me and understand that I am He...

Need it clearer...?

In response to His gracious gift of faith...

fear not... you belong to Him...

remember you are precious to Him... honored by Him... loved by Him...

do not withhold anything from Him...

everyone who is His... is created to live for His glory... 

you are witnesses for who He is... 

therefore... serve Him...

He has chosen you... to know Him... trust Him... understand that He is...

Do you get it...?

Are you grateful for His grace...?

Respond with faith... as He calls you to...

Amen...