4 minute read
“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” (Hebrews 11:1 NIV)
Faith believes what you can’t see.
Faith is something we all have; we just don’t realize it. Making plans for the future is having faith for tomorrow. Sitting in a chair means trusting it will hold you. Dropping a penny off a building is believing in unseen gravity. Pressing the gas peddle relies on an invisible process. Praying to God requires confidence Someone is listening. Even atheists have faith; not believing is still a belief.
Intangible is tangible.
God’s supernatural presence becomes tangible through His children. People are what make God physical. Church communities shine in times of crisis. When COVID hit, churches all over the country rose to the occasion. Food banks popped up overnight. Websites people could use to connect to others became a reality. Meal trains sent dinners to sick families; prayer chains lifted the world in prayer; neighbors loved neighbors. For me, a women’s Bible study I did through zoom changed my life and deepened the physical relationships I have. God becomes tangible through His people.
“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.” (Isaiah 52:7 ESV)
Good news isn’t always words. Sometimes, the best information a person receives is a hug. A few weeks ago, when I was grieving my mother, God’s tangibility was my husband’s arms. He held me as I cried, not saying a word. Feeding the homeless, caring for the sick, encouraging the discouraged are all ways God works through His children. Faith believes in the unseen, which then becomes seen.
“Hall of Faith” is the nickname for Hebrews chapter 11. As you read through the verses, God reminds you of people who had faith. Abraham’s faith leads him to foreign lands and an altar with his son on it. Noah’s faith made him build a boat, a 120-year project. During that period, God gave people time to repent, yet none did. Only Noah had faith in God; he made the Hall of Faith. The promises made through them weren’t for them:
“All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth.” (Hebrews 11:13 NIV)
When we take faith steps, doing what we believe God wants us to do, we may not see the results. Random acts of kindness can have lasting ripple effects we’ll never know. Seeing isn’t necessary for believing. Not seeing and believing, that’s the blessing.
Question of the Day:
How has faith changed your life?
Further Reading: Ezekiel 24-26NIV, Hebrews 11:1-16 NIV, Psalm 110:1-7 NIV, Proverbs 27:14 NIV
