Faith That Won't Bend
Weekly devotional by Barbara Sanders

Habakkuk 2:4 Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith. 2 Corinthians 5:7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight)

Our faith is often put to the test. I dare say there is not a day that goes by that a trial doesn't come our way that tests our faith to the hilt!

Let me tell you about these two women .....you may recognize them. They might be you and a friend. Anyway, they slaved every day to build a web site pleasing to God, one that would bring in visitors to glorify God with them. Years went by, the sites grew enormously, and the visitors began to roll in. Many signed their guestbooks, and many wrote them encouraging notes. Each woman branched out and started devotionals, and then a newsletter. Both of them tried to do their very best in their work for the Lord. Nothing was too good for Him. Counters were put on the site to track who came and went. Often those counters would show great hits, but, at other times, they were only something over which to become depressed, in that, they would show low hits at times. That got those two women worrying, wondering why others, with less showing on their pages, would get such numbers coming to their site. "Lord, we have done what you required; we've worked faithfully for you all these years. Why are we not getting hits like all these other sites?"

Then, the answer came. God wants our 'faithfulness', not our 'works'. He wants us to serve Him with our being, not our web sites. He will reward our faithfulness, and He will bring those HE wants to our web sites, those that would most benefit. It might not be the 'number' that our flesh is calling for, but it will surely be the 'children' that HE wants to see. He knows those that need teaching, those that need encouragement, those that need a life in their daily lives - THOSE HE has sent to those web sites. Many encouraging letters have come over the internet - many lives have been touched, and probably more than they will ever know. Our humanistic needs might not be met, but surely those visitors will be blessed. And, one day, God will surely reward those web ministers for their faithfulness in 'feeding the sheep'.

He wants those of us that minister on the internet to 'feed the sheep', just as though we were in the 'real pasture'..... give them the food of the Truth - the Holy Word, so that they may be encouraged, inspired, enlightened - or whatever they need, in order to fully comprehend His love for them. So, be encouraged, web ministers! Keep the Faith-don't bend! Let God be God, and you stay where He has placed you - 'feeding the sheep'!

Heavenly Father, help us keep the faith and not stumble along the way. The world may get us upset over trivial things, but it's the scope of the bigger picture that we need to stay focused upon-eternal life with you. We give you praise! In Jesus name, we pray. Amen.