00:00So today, I'm going to tell you a story.
00:05The story starts like this.
00:08Can I ask you something without sounding foolish, Marcus said.
00:13Eli smiled and leaned back in his chair.
00:16That usually means it's an honest question. Go ahead.
00:21Marcus looked down at the small cross hanging from his neck.
00:25He rubbed it gently between his thumb and finger and said,
00:29I've worn this for years.
00:32My mother gave it to me.
00:33I do not think I worship it.
00:37I do not think it is God.
00:39But sometimes when life gets hard,
00:42I catch myself feeling like I need it on me
00:46or something bad might happen.
00:50Eli nodded slowly, not with judgment,
00:54but with recognition.
00:57That does not sound foolish, he said.
01:00That sounds human.
01:02Marcus gave a tired laugh.
01:04Human can get messy.
01:07It sure can, Eli said,
01:09especially when fear gets involved.
01:13Marcus looked up.
01:14That is what bothers me, he said.
01:18I do not want my faith to become superstition.
01:22But I also do not want to throw away something that reminds me of Jesus.
01:28You don't have to throw away a reminder.
01:30Just because fear tried to misuse it, Eli said gently.
01:36The question is not whether the cross is bad.
01:39The question is what your heart is asking it to do.
01:44Marcus sat quietly with that.
01:48Eli continued.
01:49A sign can be beautiful when it points you toward God.
01:54But a sign becomes dangerous when it starts replacing God.
02:01So, if I wear this cross and remember Christ,
02:05that is different from wearing it like a charm.
02:09Exactly, Eli said.
02:12One is remembrance.
02:14The other is control.
02:20That word hits close.
02:23It hits close for all of us, Eli said.
02:26Most people are not trying to be superstitious.
02:30Most people are afraid.
02:33They're afraid the money will not come.
02:36Afraid the sickness will get worse.
02:40Afraid their child will not come home.
02:43Afraid the marriage will not heal.
02:46Afraid God is far away.
02:50So, they reach for something they can see.
02:53Something they can touch.
02:55Something they can do.
02:58Marcus looked out the window.
03:00Something tangible.
03:03Yes, Eli said.
03:05And God understands why we do that.
03:08He knows trust can feel hard when life is heavy.
03:11But he loves us too much to leave us trusting the object instead of him.
03:18Marcus looked back down at the cross.
03:21So, how do I know the difference?
03:24He said.
03:25Eli leaned forward.
03:27Ask yourself this.
03:30Does this thing lead me into prayer, surrender, love, repentance, or trust?
03:38Or does it make me feel safe while I avoid those things?
03:43Marcus was quiet.
03:45That is a strong question, he said.
03:49It's a freeing question, Eli replied.
03:53Because it does not condemn you.
03:55It clarifies you.
03:58Marcus nodded.
03:59I guess a person can do this with anything.
04:03That is right, Eli said.
04:06A cross, a candle, a medal, a prayer card, a bottle of oil, a Bible sitting untouched on
04:14a shelf.
04:15Even a phrase like, in Jesus' name, can be treated like a magic password if the heart is
04:23not surrendered to Jesus.
04:25Marcus smiled sadly.
04:29We can turn almost anything into a formula.
04:33We can, Eli said.
04:35Because formulas feel safer than relationship.
04:39A formula says, do this, get that.
04:44But faith says, come to the Father, trust him, walk with him, let him change you.
04:53Marcus rubbed his hands together.
04:56That is harder.
04:57It is, Eli said.
05:00But it is also better.
05:02Marcus asked, how so?
05:05Because a formula only gives you the illusion of control.
05:09Jesus gives you himself.
05:13Marcus swallowed.
05:15That landed somewhere deep.
05:18Eli then spoke softly.
05:20Jesus never taught people to wear the right object and ignore the conditions of their hearts.
05:30He never taught people to repeat words without love and expect heaven to obey.
05:39He never taught people to use sacred things to force outcomes.
05:45He taught us to pray.
05:47He taught us to ask.
05:50He taught us to trust.
05:53He taught us to say, your will be done.
05:58Marcus nodded.
06:00That is the part I resist.
06:02What part?
06:03Eli said.
06:05Your will be done.
06:07Marcus said.
06:08I can say the words, but sometimes what I mean is, Lord, please let your will match mine.
06:17Eli smiled warmly.
06:20Welcome to the human family.
06:23Marcus laughed, and the heaviness in the room lifted a little.
06:28Eli said.
06:29God is not offended by honest need.
06:33Jesus prayed in agony in the garden.
06:36He asked if the cup could pass from him.
06:39But he surrendered.
06:41He trusted the Father even when the road was painful.
06:46Marcus said.
06:48So, real faith is not pretending I do not want something.
06:52No, Eli said.
06:55Real faith brings the desire to God without trying to become God.
07:01Marcus sat with that sentence.
07:04Then he said.
07:06I think people need to hear this without being shamed.
07:09They do, Eli said.
07:12Because many people who fall into superstition are not arrogant.
07:17They are scared.
07:19They are grieving.
07:21They are under pressure.
07:23They are just trying to survive.
07:27Someone gave them a symbol.
07:30Someone taught them a ritual.
07:32Someone told them, do this and it will work.
07:36And when life feels uncertain, that can feel comforting.
07:41But it's not the same as trust.
07:45No, Eli said.
07:47And the kindest thing we can do is help people come back to trust without humiliating them.
07:55Marcus looked at the cross again.
07:58Then maybe the message is not, you are wrong for having a symbol.
08:03Maybe the message is, let the symbol do its proper job.
08:09Eli's face brightened.
08:11Yes, let the cross point to Christ.
08:15Let the candle remind you to pray.
08:18Let the Bible in the home invite you to open the word.
08:22Let the sacred reminder stir love.
08:25Not replace obedience.
08:30Marcus added, let the object be a doorway, not a destination.
08:36That is it, Eli said.
08:39A doorway, not a savior.
08:42Marcus smiled.
08:44When the sign points home, Eli nodded.
08:48And home is God.
08:51For a moment, neither of them spoke.
08:54Then Marcus said, what would you say to someone who realizes they've been trusting the object
09:01more than the Lord?
09:04Eli answered gently, I would say, do not panic.
09:09Do not drown in shame.
09:12Just return.
09:14Return, Marcus said.
09:16Yes, return to prayer.
09:20Return to surrender.
09:22Return to the Father.
09:24Say, Lord, I did not realize fear had taken this good thing and twisted it.
09:31Teach me to trust you again.
09:34This is a prayer God welcomes.
09:38Marcus looked relieved.
09:41So it is not about stripping beauty out of faith.
09:44No, Eli said.
09:47It is about putting beauty back in its rightful place.
09:51Faith does not have to become empty or cold.
09:55It can still have reminders.
09:58It can still have meaningful habits.
10:00It can still have visible signs.
10:03But God alone must be God.
10:07Marcus nodded slowly.
10:10That feels hopeful, he said.
10:13Not harsh, not accusing, just honest.
10:17That's the way truth should sound when love is carrying it, Eli said.
10:23Marcus touched the cross once more.
10:26But this time, he did it differently.
10:30I think I understand, he said.
10:33This does not protect me because it hangs on my neck.
10:37It helps me remember the one who holds my life.
10:41Eli smiled.
10:43That is faith talking.
10:46Marcus took a deep breath.
10:49And when I'm afraid, well, then pray, Eli said.
10:55Not perfectly, not dramatically, just honestly.
11:00Tell God the truth.
11:02Tell him what you want.
11:04Tell him what scares you.
11:06Then place the outcome back into his hands.
11:11Marcus looked out at the fading light.
11:14I can do that.
11:16Yes, Eli said.
11:19And when you forget, you can come back again.
11:23Marcus smiled.
11:24That sounds like grace.
11:27It is grace, Eli said.
11:30Christ did not come to give us charms.
11:33He came to give us himself.
11:36And when we have him, we do not have to manipulate heaven.
11:41We can trust the Father who already loves us.
11:47The cross was still around Marcus's neck.
11:51But it was no longer something he needed to fear losing.
11:55It was simply a reminder.
11:58And that reminder pointed him home.
12:04My name is Douglas Vandergraaf, and I believe in Jesus Christ.
12:11God bless every single one of you.
12:16Every single one.
12:21Bye-bye.
12:21Bye-bye.
12:22Bye-bye.
12:23Bye-bye.
12:24Bye-bye.
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