"Reflex Faith"

By Jeff Owenby

When the doctor taps my knee with a little rubber hammer, the following knee-jerk reaction is a reflex; if someone were to throw a basketball at me and I quickly try to catch it, that too is a reflex. A reflex is a reaction to a stimulus without conscious thought. This means I’ll try to catch that basketball before it hits me in the face. I don’t think about it, I just do it. That’s a reflex.

I like to apply these reflexive actions to faith in Christ. If your car suddenly dies on the road do you automatically (or by reflex) assume God will fix it? Chances are that you don’t. This is where our prayers and petitions come in. First a problem or catastrophe arrives. Second we turn to God for help. Once the problem arises we have a chance to think about it, and choose how we’re going to react. I think of reflex faith as an expectation of Christ working in my life whether or not I’m consciously aware of it.

The first time I came to Christ I was a sinner, and I knew I wanted something better in my life. The Christians I’d been around seemed to have that “something better”. I was jealous over the peace they had, but wasn’t sure I could commit to their lifestyle. This is what I saw that Christians had: They had happiness. They had a huge family of church friends. They had a place they gathered together every week. They were singing songs, having get-togethers after church, and having various group functions. In short, they had a true purpose in life beyond working and punching a time clock.

At that point in my life all of that sounded pretty darned good. I was desperate, and in need, but I had no faith. Let me tell you about the faith I didn’t have: faith came to me while I was unaware. I had a need and desire of everything I’ve just described about Christians. I wanted what Jesus had to give, but in order to get it I had to accept him into my life.

Like the little rubber hammer on my knee, I had no choice but to have faith; how could I achieve happiness in my life if I didn’t believe I’d get it? In this case, what I was experiencing was reflex faith. Without even realizing it, I became a believer. Because I assumed that only Jesus could give me what I wanted and needed most, I believed in what he was offering; faith is what made me believe. It wasn’t a natural belief, but an “a-ha” moment, when my heart figured it out and showed me Jesus Christ. Basically, my faith reflex kicked in.

We all have a degree of faith; we naturally assume that the sun is going to rise the next morning; if we’re all reasonably healthy, we all know that our lungs will draw breath, and our hearts will keep beating. This a belief, an assumption, and an expectation. I’m reminded of some inspiring Biblical examples of the genuine faith reflex. These stories are of people who naturally expected Jesus to answer their prayers. They knew of his power, and of the person that he was. Jesus was a man who healed people of their afflictions, and he did it from the heart without personal gain. The following from God’s holy word contain three perfect examples of reflex faith.

First we have the centurion in Matthew chapter eight. This man believed that the word of Jesus alone had the power to heal. This is the type of faith Jesus loves! The Centurion asked Jesus to heal his servant of the palsy. He was basically saying “All you gotta do is say the word. I’m a powerful guy with men under me. I tell ‘em what to do and they do it. Just like me, all you have to do is say the word and it’s a done deal.” As a man of importance and position, this centurion understood and respected the power of Jesus, so much that he believed without a doubt Jesus would heal his servant. Here’s what’s written in Matthew 8:9: For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. In verse 10 Jesus states the following as an answer to this man’s faith: When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.

Next we have the Canaanite woman in Matthew 15. This woman who came to Jesus pleading for him to save her daughter tormented by a devil also had this faith. Take a look at what’s written in Matthew 15:25: Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. In verse 26 Jesus replies: But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs. Verse 27 states: And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table. The dogs Jesus was referring to were the Gentiles. This woman believed for a fact that whatever miracles bestowed upon the Jews would trickle-down into her own life.

Jesus showed mercy, and healed this woman’s daughter after such a tremendous display of faith. Read what Jesus answered in verse 28: “Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.”

I saw this same display of faith in action as I was at The Santa Rosa Correctional Institution leading a man to Christ. His cellmate sat away from us near the window. As we were in prayer I shot a quick glance over to the man on the bunk and saw that he was in prayer with us. Afterward I called him over and he said he’d prayed the same prayer, and asked Christ into his heart as well. The crumbs fell from the table and he ate them. That’s how it works! This inmate believed, and said the prayer silently to himself and God.

Finally, as a third example, we have the thief on the cross in Luke 23. Look at what he pleads for in verse 42: And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. He was saying “Hey, take me with you!" The thief called out an incredibly powerful request: “remember me when you come into your kingdom.” In his own dying agony that thief on the cross wanted desperately to be a part of God’s kingdom. He not only believed there was a kingdom to go to, but Jesus was the one to get him there. This is how Jesus answered him in verse 43: And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.

Like the thief on the cross, God is quick to forgive us if we repent and confess with a true and willing heart. His promises are plentiful and true. Take a look at his promise in Hebrews 8:12: For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. This is a beautiful and inspiring declaration of God’s forgiveness of sin. It’s a promise to us that if we come to him, and confess our sins, he will wipe them away completely. He will “remember them no more.” All we really need for Christ to take root in our hearts is the belief that he’ll do what he promises.

Wrapping up, I gave reference to three people in God’s word that not only believed, but assumed their prayers would be answered. Let me repeat: they assumed it; their faith was so strong that they actually assumed their prayers would be answered. Just as we expect the sun to rise each morning, these people expected Jesus to fulfill their needs. There was the centurion: “Just say the word”. There was the Canaanite woman: “I’ll eat the crumbs you leave behind.” The thief on the cross: “Hey, take me with you.” These were real people living in a real time. Their faith and trust in Jesus Christ are true and powerful testimonies for us all. As for us, the Lord knows our trials in life, and how difficult faith can be in trying times. Jesus knew and understood. He said to his disciples in John 16:33: These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

I had an unconscious faith; I had a reflex faith. I believed that what I wanted could only be provided by Jesus Christ. How about you? Do you have a need? I promise you, you have a God who hears, listens, and answers. Amen.

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