| “Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” |
| —Hebrews 11:1 |
How much certainty do you have in your life? Do you know for certain that the sun will rise tomorrow? Do you know for certain that your health, which is now pretty good, will continue that way for the foreseeable future? Do you know for certain that your car or truck will start when you turn the key? Do you know for certain that when you turn on the TV, or the radio, your favorite station will appear?
When it comes right down to it, there are many things that we may believe we have a certainty about. But, upon more careful examination, those things aren’t nearly as certain as we may believe. Almost everything in this life is subject to change. Sometimes that change will be for the better. Other times, at least in the moment, that change will appear to be for the worse.
Because our lives and the world we inhabit is always in a state of flux, those few things that we can have a certainty about will, more and more, become very precious to us. That’s the whole idea behind the opening statement found in Hebrews 11:1:
Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
Faith is not the leap in the dark that some describe. It is not an uncertain plunge into uncharted waters that many believe is beyond their ability to embrace. True faith, given by God to those He loves, comes as a calm assurance, a true reality, a genuine bond of trust. As God perfects our faith, through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, we can increasingly grasp the truth that faith is something certain. It is a “spiritual knowing” that surpasses all other knowing. It is a “spiritual definite” that trumps every other definite.
As the dawn brings another new day to us, let’s fully appropriate the faith that the Holy Spirit is building within us. As He nurtures our spiritual formation, let’s celebrate the truth that our faith has a foundation of certainty given to us by God. We can be certain about Him, about His love for us, about His plan for us, about His overwhelming desire to see us live for Him. That, dear ones, is a genuine certainty, for faith is being certain of what we do not see.
Based on a blog originally posted on Thursday, August 17, 2017
