Priming the Pump

During my studies, I started studying faith and how it was a principle of action.  When we have faith we are obedient to Christ's commandments.  In the midst of this learning came the question "Why is faith so important?  Why do you have to believe in something you can't see before the evidence comes?  What is gained by having faith?" 

Obviously faith is needed to work miracles, there are plenty of examples found in the Bible and the Book of Mormon that show "thy faith hath made thee whole".  Why though was it necessary to have faith in the first place?  I continued my studies, and later asked my companion what she thought about it.  In her response, we both learned about that vital principle of faith.

"Truly, faith in the Savior is a principle of action and power." (Elder Richard G. Scott)  Faith is not an idle thing, it can only be accessed when we DO something.  It's a verb.  Just as the woman who was sick for 12 years had to reach out to touch the savior's clothes (Mark 5:25-34), our faith must be combined with action. 

Faith is power, it takes effort on our part to believe in something we cannot see.  When we put forth that effort - that work - then God can step in with his greater power to do the rest.  It's the spark to the flame.  It's the primer to the pump.  As I thought of faith like this, I was reminded of a video I had seen when I was younger.  While I couldn't find the exact video, I did find the talk from where it originated.

"There is a story of a man traveling across desert terrain who saw a road that looked as if it would be a shortcut. A posted road sign warned against traveling on it because it had no services available. The man decided to take the road anyway.

"After a time, in the extreme heat, his car stopped in the middle of the desert. Off in the distance the man thought he saw a grouping of houses, and he hoped that help could be found there. After he had walked for some time, he realized that it was farther than he had anticipated. He kept walking in the hot sun until he reached the ghost town. No one could be found; only a few old buildings survived.

"In the middle of the town the man saw a water pump. He rushed over and quickly started to pump the old rusty handle to get whatever water was available. Nothing happened. As he looked down, he saw a metal can with a piece of paper in it, bearing scrawled handwriting. The note said there was a bottle of water under a rock nearby, and if all the water was poured into the pump hole the well would flow forth with abundance." ("Keeping our Spiritual Wells Flowing" By Suzanne Davis)

In the video, it shows footprints in the sand, an empty bottle, and the man passed out in the desert sand.  He didn't have faith in the message.  He didn't use the power he held in the bottle.  He didn't receive the full aid he so desperately needed. 

Our faith is a lot like that bottle of water.  When we use it, God can bless us with great abundance in a starving world.  When we do our part, as small as it is, he will do his part and open the windows of heaven upon us.  Faith is the primer for the pump, and we all can have it, use it, and strengthen it.  Christ is the well of living water, and we need only to exercise faith in him to access it.