Monday, February 3, 2014
Hebrews 11: 1 - 12
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the assurance of things not seen. These are familiar words, used within our worship services regularly. Whenever I hear them, I remember all kinds of situations in which they have been said, and there is comfort and strength in that.
But sometimes, I find that familiar words have lost freshness, so I look at a different translation to see if there is something new to hear. The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It’s our handle on what we can’t see.
Trust in God - under everything that makes life worth living - a handle. For many years, scientists have spoken of and searched for a “unifying quantum principle” that will hold and explain every particle and principle in the universe. We need to feel that our world is not random, not chaotic, but purposeful and ordered (we just don’t always see the pattern).
Further in the passage, Anyone who wants to approach God must believe both that he exists and that he cares enough to respond to those who seek him. I love the second part of that: he cares enough to respond. In some ways it is easier to believe that God exists (something/someone bigger than us), but it can be hard to believe that we are important enough to God that he cares and will respond (we are so small and insignificant).
Looking at the people mentioned in the passage (and the list goes on quite a bit), I am encouraged that it is not a list of perfect people, or of ones whose lives were easy or even terribly successful, but ordinary ones whose faith in God meant that God could do something extraordinary with them. I can join the list by trusting that God is, that he cares, that he will respond, and that he will keep his promises.
I choose to take hold of that “handle.”
Blessings
Ann Kelland
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