Faith and Derivatives

Sometimes I think about my walk with God in terms of a function and its derivatives. There's where I'm at - it can be a high or low in itself. Taking stock of this is important, but does not provide the full picture. The first derivative of the curve, or where I'm headed, is often just as (if not more) important than the actual curve. I think that keeping an eye on this derivative is also an important part of our walk in that it keeps us from having abrupt or at least unexpected falls from high points. I think what made David special was that his first faith derivative, if you will, was almost always on the upswing. Finally, I think that the second derivative plays an (often) unseen part in keeping us following God - it's the part that shows up when we are at the end of ourselves, and I believe that it amounts to nothing less than grace.