Now faith is being sure
of what we hope for and
certain of what we do not see
Hebrews 11:1
Bible Rank: 44
I like to hold out my hands to the kids. I say with confidence that I have a quarter in my hand. And I ask, "Do you believe me?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
And ultimately it comes back to this: "Because we trust you."
That's faith. We can't see it (yet); nevertheless, we trust.
On Easter Sunday evening, Jesus appeared to his twelve disciples. Except Thomas wasn't there. So when the others told Thomas, this last disciple said, "Unless I see and until I touch, I will not believe."
Did Jesus cast Thomas out because of his lack of "faith"? No. The gentle Savior reached out his hand and said, "Touch. See. Believe."
And yet Jesus knew that this was a temporary aberration. It was a unique gift to the twelve who must lay the foundation of the church through their faith. The rest of human history, must rely on their testimony ... or as Jesus said to Thomas and the rest, "blessed are those who do not see and yet believe."
Thus, every preacher for two thousand years has said, "I hold a truth in my hands and in my heart. Do you believe it?"
Some say, "No." "Why?" And one of the reasons is, "Because we cannot see it."
But others say, "Yes." "Why?" "Because we trust ... who?" Hopefully they trust more than the pastor! The pastor is flesh and blood and God, understanding the human nature needs to touch and see, graciously gave us under-shepherds, tangible human witnesses. But pastors will come and go. And humans will let us down. Eventually, and hopefully very very quickly, the story will read like this ...
A preacher (or a passage of scripture ... or a "God-incidence") will say, "I hold a truth in my hands and in my heart. Do you believe it?"
And we will say, "Yes."
"Why? You can't see it. You can't touch it. You have to just accept it on blind faith."
And you'll say, "It's simple. It's because I trust Jesus."
In Christ's Love,
a guy who has a
quarter in his hand
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