Hebrews 11:1 (CEB)

11 Faith is the reality of what we hope for, the proof of what we don’t see.

Reflection

Reading stories about Jesus’ followers gives me hope. Especially when I’m going through tough times. There are many stories of Jesus’ followers saying they believe in Jesus, but then they become afraid or skeptical so that doubt creeps into their minds. In Matthew 11, Peter tried to walk on water in the storm to Jesus, but he begins to sink. Peter had taken his eyes off Jesus to look at the raging storm around him. Jesus catches his hand saying, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” There was Martha, who believed Jesus is the life and the resurrection, but she didn’t want Jesus to open Lazarus’ tomb. The men doubted the women’s message that Jesus had risen from the dead. Thomas, who had not seen the risen Jesus, had to put his fingers in Jesus’ wounds in order to believe.

Even after Jesus appeared to the eleven and gave them the great commission to go into the world, some worshiped Jesus, “but some doubted.” Seeing apparently does not always lead to believing. These followers had lived with and followed Jesus, yet they had doubts. But they also had mustard seed sized faith. So is it surprising that we who have never seen Jesus in person have doubts? When Jesus said, “blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe,”
he was thinking of us. Jesus knew it would be hard for us to believe that God loved us so much, that God would send his only son to die for us. While as humans we may have doubts, our faith in God’s love will produces hope.

by Jeneene Reduker

For Pondering and Prayer

Often when our expectations don’t align with the reality in front of us, we miss the miraculous works that God is doing in the world and in our lives. Faith is trusting in God when all of your five senses tell you it’s impossible. When disappointment and despair or grief deal our faith a major blow, when praying and waiting goes on with seemingly no answer, our faith gets challenged and tested.

Here’s the good news. The God of Martha and Peter, and of you and me, is faithful. God’s presence, love and grace is with us in all of life’s difficulties. God’s Spirit is within us to comfort and guide us. God’s Word reassures us. Our community of faith prays for us. For all these reasons and more, we shall not be overcome. Our faith and trust in God and the resurrection of Jesus, is the ground in which the seed of hope takes root and grows to bear fruit. We don’t need to see to believe, we see with eyes of faith and our faith is the living proof of God’s love and grace in our lives, and Jesus’ resurrection is our sure hope of eternal life.

Do you need to see to believe or are you able to see with eyes of faith, to believe how much God loves you?

Prayer: Faithful and Loving God, give us eyes of faith to see your love for us. Amen.