Sometimes a person seems to have a ‘charmed existence’. Everything (at least from the outside) seems to be just right. No real worries. Healthy, happy, wholesome. Perhaps even healthy, wealthy and wise. It seems that life, for them, is effortless and easy. It just comes their way and when it arrives, it is good.

It must (at least from the outside) be easy for such a person to have faith. God is good. Their life is good. Therefore, they believe in that good God. It is that simple. What could be easier?

But then again, if it was this easy, why did Amos have to condemn the fat cows of Bashan, whose ease and prosperity had led to their excesses (Amos 4:1)? And weren't they something of a picture for all of Israel, who grew fat on the nurture of the Lord, and then deserted him (Deut 32:15)? And what was so easy for the ‘rich young ruler’ who caused Jesus such sadness, because he chose his wealth, over gaining his own soul (Mark 10:17-30)?

There is nothing easy about faith when times are prosperous. Why do we need God when times are so good? He has given us everything already! That might almost sound like gratitude, but the next thought soon comes: Why do we need God at all? We are pretty well off, and in fact, didn't we gain this prosperity through our own efforts anyway? Why do we need to acknowledge God, or even give him thanks? (Rom. 1:21). Any name we may have made in the midst of our prosperity is the one that we made for ourselves!

It is not so easy to have faith when life's easy. It just becomes a moment to revel in the gigantic tower we have made, whose top just keeps on pushing aside heaven.

(To be continued …)

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