I love a good steak. A nice, thick, juicy, medium rare filet mignon is one of the great pleasures of life, in my opinion. When you partner that beef with a nice hot baked potato, slathered with butter, sour cream and chives, a crispy fresh salad and cold, freshly brewed iced tea, you’ve got the perfect meal. Not a meal that should be indulged in very often, but as a treat, it can’t be beat.

I used to live in a ski town. MammothLakes, CA. Home to one of the world’s best ski areas, MammothMountain. There is a restaurant in town that is very popular with the skiers. It’s called The Mogul, and the steaks there are out of this world. When I lived in town, besides having fantastic steaks, what really made the Mogul unique was that you cooked your own. There was a big wood fired grill in the middle of the dining room, and they would bring whatever cut of beef you ordered to your table, after which you would take it to the grill and cook it yourself. That’s great, if you like to cook, and if you don’t mess it up. But if you don’t know what you’re doing, you have ruined it. You know, if I’m paying restaurant prices, I’d really rather have someone who is an expert cook my filet. I want it to be perfect.

Let the expert do it.

Turning our attention to the spiritual realm, there is the matter of faith. Would you like to have more faith? Is your faith strong, or is it weak? If it is weak, I have a guaranteed seven step program that if you will just follow my instructions, you will have more faith than you ever thought possible. Nah. I’m kidding. I can’t do that for you. Why? Because faith doesn’t come from me. I am not the source of faith. And neither are you! You are not responsible for the faith you have! “Well if it’s my faith, Steve, who is responsible?”

Heb 12:2 (NIV) “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith,”

Now, don’t get me wrong, it is up to us to choose to follow His lead, but the building up of our faith comes as He leads us through the events of our lives. As we see Him working, as we see His promises fulfilled, as we see lives changed, as we see how He brings us through difficult circumstances, our faith is built up. Not because of my performance, but because of His.

He is the author, or the one who begins your faith. And He is the finisher of your faith. He is the one who is constantly working in your life, allowing you to face situations that require faith, and giving you the faith to make it through. He brings it to the table, not you.

Just as I would rather have an expert chef cook my filet mignon, I am so glad that in spiritual things, my faith will be completed by the one who began it. Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.

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