(published date?)
Jesus was born long ago in a stable, in a manger meant for sheep or cattle. If He had been born in modern Alberta, all sorts of unusual animals could have been there. Farming is changing; pastures once containing ordinary cattle or horses are now home to exotic livestock.
One odd-looking barnyard critter is the ostrich, a large, long-necked flightless bird. Ostriches do not appear to be speed demons but these birds have 3.5 meter strides and can run 50 kilometers an hour for 15 minutes or longer. If something is chasing them, ostriches can top 70 km/h. A cornered ostrich is no slouch either. With two clawed toes on each of its long, featherless legs, it can kill or seriously maim animals or people with its powerful kicks.
While strong and speedy, the unfortunate ostrich is not noted for being terribly brilliant. In fact, its eye is bigger than its brain. Maybe that is where we get the derogatory expression “bird brain.” For this bird, seeing comes far easier than thinking.
Rather than be too hard on ostriches, it seems that everyone struggles with a similar problem. We find it much easier to rely on what we can see or experience with our other senses than trust more abstract ideas or concepts. Who has not said, “I will believe it when I see it” and in the realm of faith, who has not wondered about a God they cannot see?
The usual argument about faith vs. sight goes like this: “You cannot see electricity but every time you plug in your coffee maker you are expressing faith in it.” Faith in God is something like that, but anyone who trusts God will be quick to agree that we do not make Him work as simply as plugging in an appliance. God is God, not a servant like a toaster or vacuum cleaner.
Perhaps that is the biggest reason we need to “see” Him through the eyes of faith. No matter the size of our physical eyes or our clarity of vision, we simply cannot take in the wonder of God, of who He is or what He does. Without faith, who can grasp that He created the world and all that is in it? Without faith, who can believe He became a baby and lived among us?
Technology may unwittingly be helping our propensity to demand visual proof. More and more, what we see is not very reliable. Film technology makes animals sing and dance. Magicians make elephants, jumbo jets and huge buildings disappear, at least that is what our eyes tell us. However, faith (in natural laws) says this is not happening; it is just an illusion.
Faith in God does not need to rely on our eyes either, although we can use them to develop it. The Bible says, “In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom He made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful word.” It also says that “faith comes by hearing. . . a message about Christ.”
Through reading God’s record of the above revelations about Himself, faith is nourished in our hearts. In this black and white record of what God has done, we can see what He looks like. We can see how He influenced events and changed lives. By faith, we can believe that God not only exists but that He offers us a personal relationship with Himself. Imagine, knowing God and experiencing an intimate relationship with Him!
However, He does not enter our lives by our senses. We may have better-than-bird brains, quick feet, powerful muscles, twenty-twenty vision — all helpful in life — yet none of these help us see God. We can look in a manger (don’t expect an ostrich) and still not see Him. The key is not that our eyes are wide open but that our hearts are open, that we accept what He says as truth and invite Him to make an impact on our lives. Then He comes into our hearts and minds and even opens our eyes so we have a capacity to know, see and experience Him.
Showing posts with label faith not sight. Show all posts
Showing posts with label faith not sight. Show all posts
Monday, April 24, 2017
Monday, July 18, 2016
How faith works .......... Parables 459
February 14, 1995
An Edmonton man complained about a weather report on television. It predicted a 0% chance of rain but when he went outside it was raining. He was drenched. Wet and annoyed, he called Environment Canada and found that the weather reporters could not see the storm coming. They relied entirely on instruments because, at that time, their operation headquarters had no windows!
My husband has another interesting way to forecast the weather. My father, a retired farmer, turns on the weather report every morning. Bob teases him, “I can give you a report,” he says, walking over to the window. “See, the sun is shining today . . . “
While observation alone can be unreliable, it is an important part of any scientific inquiry. Scientists do not define rain or wind, explore the ocean floor, or classify orchids by looking inside their own heads or by relying entirely on instruments like thermometers, barometers or computers. They use their eyes and other senses to observe carefully and objectively in their exploration and analysis.
Scientists also work together, depending upon the observations of each other. They seldom limit what they know about the visible, material world to speculation but instead look for evidence that proves their theories.
However, scientists sometimes hesitate to exam or make conclusions about invisible or immaterial topics. They are reluctant to include in their studies concepts such as God or faith because God is invisible and faith cannot be directly observed, measured or dissected. Scientists usually ignore these topics, considering they belong in the realm of theory.
Does faith really require a leap in the dark? Is it based on speculation only? I do not think so. No one trusts anything without out some evidence that warrants their trust.
Electricity is an example. It is invisible but the average person can test it by the results it produces. We simply plug in our appliances. If they work, believe in the presence and power of electricity. If they do not, then electricity is either absent or worthless. If it did not do anything, we would have no reason to rely on it.
Also notice that the evidence is produced by the object of our reliance. It is not trust or faith in it that makes electricity work; electricity makes trust possible. That is, electricity that we cannot see causes something to happen that we can see, so we can believe in the power behind it.
Faith in God is like that. God is also invisible but He showed Israel what He is like through His activity on their behalf and through the words He spoke using His prophets. Because of the evidence, the people of God believed He is real.
God’s ultimate evidence of Himself occurred when He appeared in the person of Jesus Christ. Christ is God’s fullest revelation, the “exact representation of His being,” incarnate in a human body. When anyone seriously examines this evidence, they are convinced that God is real and they put their faith in Him and in Jesus Christ. This faith is not something believers conjure up in their minds, nor does it exist independently of the evidence. Christian faith is based on God-given evidence.
No matter what people decide to believe in, something convinces them that the object of their faith is worthy. If only one in twenty-five outlets in a house makes the toaster work, few would have any faith in the wiring in that house. If Christ had not demonstrated His worth, no one would ever say, “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain...”
Christ demonstrated God’s grace, goodness and power. Because of what He has done, we have enough evidence to believe He is worthy and He can be trusted.
An Edmonton man complained about a weather report on television. It predicted a 0% chance of rain but when he went outside it was raining. He was drenched. Wet and annoyed, he called Environment Canada and found that the weather reporters could not see the storm coming. They relied entirely on instruments because, at that time, their operation headquarters had no windows!
My husband has another interesting way to forecast the weather. My father, a retired farmer, turns on the weather report every morning. Bob teases him, “I can give you a report,” he says, walking over to the window. “See, the sun is shining today . . . “
While observation alone can be unreliable, it is an important part of any scientific inquiry. Scientists do not define rain or wind, explore the ocean floor, or classify orchids by looking inside their own heads or by relying entirely on instruments like thermometers, barometers or computers. They use their eyes and other senses to observe carefully and objectively in their exploration and analysis.
Scientists also work together, depending upon the observations of each other. They seldom limit what they know about the visible, material world to speculation but instead look for evidence that proves their theories.
However, scientists sometimes hesitate to exam or make conclusions about invisible or immaterial topics. They are reluctant to include in their studies concepts such as God or faith because God is invisible and faith cannot be directly observed, measured or dissected. Scientists usually ignore these topics, considering they belong in the realm of theory.
Does faith really require a leap in the dark? Is it based on speculation only? I do not think so. No one trusts anything without out some evidence that warrants their trust.
Electricity is an example. It is invisible but the average person can test it by the results it produces. We simply plug in our appliances. If they work, believe in the presence and power of electricity. If they do not, then electricity is either absent or worthless. If it did not do anything, we would have no reason to rely on it.
Also notice that the evidence is produced by the object of our reliance. It is not trust or faith in it that makes electricity work; electricity makes trust possible. That is, electricity that we cannot see causes something to happen that we can see, so we can believe in the power behind it.
Faith in God is like that. God is also invisible but He showed Israel what He is like through His activity on their behalf and through the words He spoke using His prophets. Because of the evidence, the people of God believed He is real.
God’s ultimate evidence of Himself occurred when He appeared in the person of Jesus Christ. Christ is God’s fullest revelation, the “exact representation of His being,” incarnate in a human body. When anyone seriously examines this evidence, they are convinced that God is real and they put their faith in Him and in Jesus Christ. This faith is not something believers conjure up in their minds, nor does it exist independently of the evidence. Christian faith is based on God-given evidence.
No matter what people decide to believe in, something convinces them that the object of their faith is worthy. If only one in twenty-five outlets in a house makes the toaster work, few would have any faith in the wiring in that house. If Christ had not demonstrated His worth, no one would ever say, “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain...”
Christ demonstrated God’s grace, goodness and power. Because of what He has done, we have enough evidence to believe He is worthy and He can be trusted.
Monday, December 15, 2014
Just because I cannot see God . . . ................. Parables 209
(March 21, 1990)
At least fourteen cars didn’t make it. Some stopped. Others piled into them. Still others missed the space between the lines. That fog a couple of weekends ago was so unbelievably thick.
Even driving in town required a measure of faith. It looked as if there was nothing left to drive on; the streets all but disappeared. The white “soup” didn’t just cover them, it completely swallowed the pavement and buildings.
I felt the same way about God that Sunday morning. Tired from doing all the usual chores plus hospital visits, plus traveling 500 miles in two days, plus cleaning someone else’s house besides my own, there was no physical energy left for my Bible class. Not only that, God seemed far away. How could I teach about Him if He was not there?
However, on the way to church, I noticed only by going on would we know for sure if the next block still existed, if asphalt would still firmly rise up beneath our tires and if neighbors still lived alongside the boulevards. Each meter we traveled brought another meter into view, until finally we reached our destination. If we had relied only on the visible, surely we would have stayed home. Obviously, not everything we see is “real.” Fog can make streets “disappear” and create a false sense of reality. However, just because we can’t see two hundred yards in front of us didn’t mean there is nothing beyond.
That reminded me of Scripture that encourages Christians to “...walk by faith, not by sight.” We are to concentrate on eternal things that are invisible and let those govern our actions, rather than let temporary things confuse us, even though they are easier to see. (2 Cor.4:18).
That morning, my fatigue was making the reality of Christ in my life “disappear” and creating a tremendous sense of emptiness. But, as with the fog, God wanted me to go on in faith, not depend on sight or feelings but believe He is always with me -- because He said so, so I determined to move on in obedience. Yet even with God’s promise to be with me and my determination, walking into class was like walking into a fog. I still felt weak and inadequate.
The Lord met that need too. When the apostle Paul had some kind of infirmity that slowed him down, he asked God three times to remove it. God told Him, “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” Paul said he had learned to glory in his weaknesses because when he was weak, the power of God rested on him, whether he felt like it or not. That verse (2 Corinthians 12:9) was repeated three times in our study material.
After the study time was over, I was still exhausted and didn’t “feel” much different physically, yet each of us recognized the Lord had brought our spirits through the “fog” and into the Son light. His strength is sufficient. Faith can depend on Him.
Not every day with God is foggy. Often the course ahead is clear and His strength, tired or not, is fully felt. But when our vision of Him socks in, that doesn’t mean He’s gone. His promises are just as reliable when we can’t see the end from the beginning, as they are when the sun is shining. We can safely put one foot ahead of the other, trusting He will be there, clearing the pathway ahead of us.
At least fourteen cars didn’t make it. Some stopped. Others piled into them. Still others missed the space between the lines. That fog a couple of weekends ago was so unbelievably thick.
Even driving in town required a measure of faith. It looked as if there was nothing left to drive on; the streets all but disappeared. The white “soup” didn’t just cover them, it completely swallowed the pavement and buildings.
I felt the same way about God that Sunday morning. Tired from doing all the usual chores plus hospital visits, plus traveling 500 miles in two days, plus cleaning someone else’s house besides my own, there was no physical energy left for my Bible class. Not only that, God seemed far away. How could I teach about Him if He was not there?
However, on the way to church, I noticed only by going on would we know for sure if the next block still existed, if asphalt would still firmly rise up beneath our tires and if neighbors still lived alongside the boulevards. Each meter we traveled brought another meter into view, until finally we reached our destination. If we had relied only on the visible, surely we would have stayed home. Obviously, not everything we see is “real.” Fog can make streets “disappear” and create a false sense of reality. However, just because we can’t see two hundred yards in front of us didn’t mean there is nothing beyond.
That reminded me of Scripture that encourages Christians to “...walk by faith, not by sight.” We are to concentrate on eternal things that are invisible and let those govern our actions, rather than let temporary things confuse us, even though they are easier to see. (2 Cor.4:18).
That morning, my fatigue was making the reality of Christ in my life “disappear” and creating a tremendous sense of emptiness. But, as with the fog, God wanted me to go on in faith, not depend on sight or feelings but believe He is always with me -- because He said so, so I determined to move on in obedience. Yet even with God’s promise to be with me and my determination, walking into class was like walking into a fog. I still felt weak and inadequate.
The Lord met that need too. When the apostle Paul had some kind of infirmity that slowed him down, he asked God three times to remove it. God told Him, “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” Paul said he had learned to glory in his weaknesses because when he was weak, the power of God rested on him, whether he felt like it or not. That verse (2 Corinthians 12:9) was repeated three times in our study material.
After the study time was over, I was still exhausted and didn’t “feel” much different physically, yet each of us recognized the Lord had brought our spirits through the “fog” and into the Son light. His strength is sufficient. Faith can depend on Him.
Not every day with God is foggy. Often the course ahead is clear and His strength, tired or not, is fully felt. But when our vision of Him socks in, that doesn’t mean He’s gone. His promises are just as reliable when we can’t see the end from the beginning, as they are when the sun is shining. We can safely put one foot ahead of the other, trusting He will be there, clearing the pathway ahead of us.
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