Reading
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Indeed, by faith our ancestors received approval. By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible.
Hebrews 11:1 (NRSV)
Reflection
Sometimes we act like belief depends on full understanding. If that were true, none of us would get very far.
My parents love to tell a story about my sister collecting handwriting samples from family members around Christmastime, just to make sure that none matched Santa’s. Her belief had to make sense to her before she could commit to it.
Believing in Jesus, of course, has greater implications (and rewards) than believing in Santa. But like children trying to make sense of Santa, we sometimes feel like we have to hammer out all the details before we can believe. We want to know exactly what God is doing behind the scenes. The truth is, there are a lot of pieces of the Christian faith that we simply can’t understand because we’re not God. And thank God for that!
Our faith invites us to trust even when we don’t have all the answers, and it actually grows richer in moments of wrestling and wonder. God doesn’t push us away for having questions. Instead, God invites us into conversation. In his book, Surrender to Love, David G. Benner says, “Creation was God’s plan for friendship. We were not brought into existence simply so that we could worship God. Nor were we created simply for service. Human beings exist because of God’s desire for companionship. We are the fruit of God’s love reaching out toward creatures who share enough similarity that relationship is possible.”
When we come to God in prayer, worship, or read scripture, God calls us to bring our thoughts, our questions, and our wonder. That’s how relationships grow – with honesty, curiosity, and love.
Prayer
God, thank you for the mystery of your love—a love that saves, redeems, and calls us into friendship with you. When I can’t understand everything, help me to trust that your grace is enough. Amen.
