Faith, it's just like WI-FI!

What!? What on earth is he going on about now!? You may be asking. Faith is like wifi?

Let me explain. Today is Friday 5th June 2020, or June 5th 2020 for my American readers and friends! 

Nothing spectacular in it being a Friday I grant you. Fridays are often thought of as a fun day, the anticipation of the weekend ahead. Plans being made possibly for the evening to come, plans for those two days where the majority of us get to relax and wind down. Of course not everyone gets the weekend off. Police officers and support staff. NHS staff, care workers, factory workers...the list is endless. And God! There are workers who do 12 hour day and night shifts. That is a long time to be on shift or on duty. 

I know this as in my early 20's I worked these hours. To be honest I really enjoyed it. Especially the night shifts. On my breaks I would go outside and listen to the silence of the night. Take in the smell of the night air. Enjoy the gentle evening breeze. I was fortunate enough to be working these hours in the summer months. It was a temporary role before I started as a volunteer. This was with a Christian organisation called Care Force, where I was placed in a homeless hostel for young men. Situated in Forest Gate East London. I digress. 

God has been on duty and always with us since the beginning of time, and will be until the last day, even beyond. We are reminded of this in various places in the bible. For example one of my particular favourites is from:

Matthew 28:20 "Teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

Or

Joshua 1:9 "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

Other verses can be found in the books of Isaiah 41:10 Deuteronomy 31:6 Zephaniah 3:17 Matthew 28:20 Hebrews 13:5 Romans 8:38-39 They all mention Gods promise to us. 

Thanks Google! My biblical knowledge isn't as in depth as I feel it should be. The argument here would be "read more then Dom" I agree. In my somewhat weak and feeble defence, I do have a shocking memory! It's a wonder I've made it through life thus far without constantly getting lost!

As I mentioned, it is a Friday. The end of another week. A week in lockdown in the UK. I have been teacher to my two children. To be honest, more to my 8 year old daughter than to my 14 year old son. I am tired! 

I will refer to my children as 8 and 14 to avoid confusion. I was sitting on 14's bed whilst he was sorting his piles of school work. I like to sit and chat with him. I am truly blessed to have a wonderful father and son relationship with him. The same goes for 8. She'll always be 'Daddy's little girl' Despite her having me completely and utterly wrapped around her little finger! Despite my denials!

So, 14 and I were conversing. He is growing in his faith steadily and he constantly amazes me. Such a beautiful soul. Caring, compassionate and empathetic to those and the world around him. 

14: 'You know faith? 

Me: 'Yes mate'

14: Faith, it's like wifi

I suspect at this point he could sense my confusion.

Me: Wifi? I ask

14: Yes he continued..without wifi you can't really look at that much online. You won't get very far. But, when you have wifi you can do so much more! Just like faith, without it, you won't get very far in life. With your faith, you can do anything!

Me: Stunned! 

However, I do have a faith. Like my wifi signal, on some days it's amazingly strong and nothing can get in the way. It matters not how many devices are connected. It is continuous, steadfast.

On other days, it can seem as though the whole of the UK is connected to my router! Slow lethargic, intermittent connection. As useful as an ice cream cone when scuba diving! 

On days when my arch enemy depression pays a visit, my faith can seem very distant. Like standing on one side of a vast desert. Many hundreds of square miles wide. I am standing in a viscous sandstorm desperately trying to find my faith across the vast sandy wilderness. 

I have a very good friend Nick. In fact he is my best mate. We have been friends for 29 years. I respect him immensely. I have seen his faith grow from the smallest of seeds into a forest of faith. He left everything he knew behind to follow his unwavering certainty that God had called him to Ireland. It has been far from an easy journey for him. He has trusted God in his journey of faith. Even now, 5 years in I know that he struggles with his long term purpose for being there. Truly living by faith.

God promises us as l mentioned earlier that he will never leave us. With faith we can go forward in life, often despite overwhelming odds and human emotions telling us otherwise. Thankfully we don't need wifi to have faith!

(©) Dom Giddy 2020