Am I/Are We Like Nazareth?
A Daily Defiance Against Lukewarm Faith
“They did not believe in God or trust in His deliverance.
Yet He gave a command to the skies above and opened the doors of the heavens.”
— Psalm 78:22–23“And He could do no mighty work there… And He marveled because of their unbelief.”
— Mark 6:5–6
The Wake-Up Call
God is a miracle worker.
There’s a grief in His heart when His people forget.
But there’s a deeper grief when we don’t believe.
Psalm 78 was written to remind a generation—then and now—what happens when God’s people forget His works and harden their hearts. However, even in His anger, He still blessed them. He rained down manna, parted the sea, split rocks for water. But the blessing didn’t break their pride. It didn’t lead them to intimacy.
They wanted to keep receiving without believing—treating God like a vending machine on a mountaintop.
Something to climb toward, not Someone to trust.
And then, centuries later, in Nazareth, history repeated itself.
Jesus—the Word made flesh—walked into His hometown ready to heal, restore, and speak life.
But He could do no mighty work there.
Why?
Unbelief.
They boxed Him in.
They got too familiar.
They wanted the show, not the Savior.
The Choice We Face Today
We live in a generation of abundance—but absence.
Bibles on shelves.
Churches on corners.
But idols are louder than Scripture, and closets are filled with character we keep hidden and unsurrendered.
We’ve tamed Him with theology and silenced Him with busyness.
But listen—you don’t have to follow that.
I won’t.
You don’t have to.
You can break the Psalm 78 cycle.
You can walk a different road than Nazareth.
Psalm 78:7 gives us the secret:
“Then they would put their trust in God
and would not forget His deeds
but would keep His commands.”
It’s not about rules.
It’s about relationship.
Verse 7: The Key to Staying Awake
“Then they would put their trust in God…”
Trust doesn’t come from Sunday hype.
Trust comes from time.
And that kind of time?
It doesn’t come from sheer willpower.
It comes from His power drawing you in.
Ask Him to give you the desire.
Keep opening the Word, even when it feels dry.
Let your faith lead your feelings—not the other way around.
Feelings are great teachers, but terrible leaders.
The Never Finished Challenge:
3 Daily Habits to Fight Lukewarm Faith
1. Look Back
Write down one way God showed up in your life—every day. Big or small.
“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits…” — Psalm 103:2
Here’s one habit from my life on looking back:
Every meal, we open the Bible as a family and retell stories of God’s faithfulness. My four-year-old now brings her Bible too (she can’t read yet) and offers to read with us. It’s small, but powerful. Roots are being planted—not because I’m perfect, but because the Spirit is helping me model the worth of His Word (which is a prayer of mine on Mondays).
Don’t have kids? Do it with your spouse.
No spouse? Do it with a friend.
If you are alone, save a chair for Jesus. He is with you.
(Psalm 1 reminds us that the person who delights in God’s Word daily becomes like a tree planted by streams of water.)
2. Look Up
Each morning, ask the Holy Spirit:
“What would it look like to believe You today?”
Write it down. Then act on it.
3. Speak Faith
Declare one promise of God over your life or your family—out loud.
Let your ears hear what your spirit needs to believe.
What Does Today Say About God?
Miracle Worker.
It’s not hard for me to write those two words about Him.
But if it’s hard for you—that’s okay.
You’re not disqualified.
You’re not excommunicated from His family.
Just keep showing up.
Keep receiving.
Keep remembering.
There are countless moments in my life where God showed up—again and again. And in every one, He’s been glorified, I’ve been transformed, and people around me have been encouraged.
What a Miracle Worker.
What a God.
What a King.
What a Father.
Thank You, Jesus.