The Importance of Friendly Reminders

The Bible repeatedly emphasizes the importance of faith as a key attribute in the lives of believers. I believe it is the one attribute that we can’t really be tempted to take credit for. Its emphasis is not on the person demonstrating the attribute, but on the object of our faith. We can have faith because God is faithful.

Other attributes, such as love for others and hope for the future, might spring from this faith, but it is by God’s grace – through faith – that we are able to love others with the love of Christ, and to have hope for the future because of the victory of Christ.

So beside the personal attributes that grow in a Christian through this faith relationship with Christ, how might it look in the life of “seekers” or pre-believers – people being drawn to faith in Christ but not quite there yet?

One statement made by a man named Omar caught my attention. A week ago, Omar was hit by a car on his bicycle. He wasn’t injured and called this incident a “friendly reminder” from God. He agreed that the effect of this incident was to wake him up a bit to God’s presence in his life. He wasn’t bitter that it happened, but grateful that God had spared him.

I think the faith of believers allows them to see much of what happens in life, positive and negative, as “friendly reminders” from God. I remember looking at some new grey hairs in the mirror, and instead of grumbling to myself I suddenly saw them as friendly reminders that my days here in this life are limited. It gave me a new perspective at how precious this life is, and a desire to make the most of whatever time I have remaining.

This ability to receive friendly reminders reminds me of the passage on faith in Hebrews 11, which reads “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”

Many people try their best to ignore all the evidence and reminders of God’s existence. But to acknowledge them is an important part of this passage. God “exists”, and we are told elsewhere in the Bible that those who don’t believe this are actively suppressing such knowledge, that it is actually very obvious.

Why would people try to suppress the truth about God’s existence? Maybe because they can’t accept the other important aspect of faith in this passage – That God “rewards those who earnestly seek him.”

Not only does a great God exist – worthy of our faith because of His infinite power and wisdom, but He is also good, worthy of our faith because of His goodness towards us.

God is great and God is good. Both of these attributes are worthy of our faith, and both help us as believers to see numerous “friendly reminders” all around us.