Faith in Things Unseen

Read: Hebrews 11:1(NIV)

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

Reflect:

Faith can be a tricky concept to comprehend, and at times even trickier to possess. Hebrews 11:1 itself is deceptively simple. The words are easy to read, but having faith is not always easy. Being sure and confident in something we cannot see defies reason. Having confidence in what we hope for can be tough – most of us have seen some hope, at some point in our life, unfulfilled. What is it we hope for? For the second coming of Christ? For eternal life through Jesus? For the Buffalo Bills to win this week? Yes to all of these things, but our true confidence can be in the fact that Christ loves us, today, tomorrow, and no matter the circumstances. That is his gift to us, unfailing love. His love is the foundation of the assurance of not only the things unseen, but also the things to come. Someday the one who loves us will return. Someday we will get to spend eternity with the one who loves us!

So how do we practice faith? How do we have hope and assurance in modern times?

You may have heard this famous Billy Graham quote: “Can you see God? You haven’t seen him? I’ve never seen the wind. I see the effects of the wind, but I’ve never seen the wind.” While our personal anecdotes may vary, most of us can think of a time we’ve experienced the effects of God’s love and power. We may not be able to see God the way Abraham, Isaac, or Jacob literally saw God, but we can see God’s works and wonders. These experiences can help bolster our confidence and give us the assurance that God is present and involved in our lives.

Act:

Romans 10:17 says that “faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.” One way to increase our faith is to be diligent about spending time in God’s word. In this busy holiday season, make a commitment to set aside time to read the story of Christ’s birth.

Pray:

Lord, thank You for Your love and the hope it instills in us. Help us to live a life worthy of the gift of love You gave and inspire others to do the same. Thank You for hope and the promise of eternity       with You.

Caleb and Rachel Childs