We do ourselves a disservice if we say we cannot see God, so we will not believe in him.
We choose to believe in things we cannot see all the time. When I buy a can of soup at the store, I believe when I get home and open the can, the soup will come out. When I start my car, I believe the gas in the tank I do not see will find its way to the engine and produce power. I turn on a flashlight and (if the batteries are any good) I will have light from the power (I cannot see) they produce. I flip a light switch or use an appliance at home and do not give the unseen electricity they use a thought, (until there is a power outage).
Two brothers who ran a bicycle shop in Ohio believed that they could use (invisible) air in such a way that people would be able to soar through the skies. Orville and Wilbur Wright eventually proved it, provided the lift needed to (literally) get people off the ground.
Recently, I was flying and heard the familiar pre-flight information that included: “In the unlikely event the cabin experiences a loss of pressure, the mask above you will come down…and (unseen) oxygen will be flowing, even if the bag does not inflate.” It is quite common for us to fly and never actually see the pilot flying the plane. Yet, we willingly choose to put our lives in his or her hands.
We inflate balloons with a gas that is invisible to us and expect them to float. We have no problem expecting the radio to play music through an invisible connection. We use wireless internet and cell services every day- even though we are not able to see what connects us. We even send audio and video enjoying real-time communication even though we would be hard-pressed to explain how any of it works.
There are MANY other things that can only be seen with a telescope, microscope, or other specialized instrument. Most of us have not personally seen a strand of DNA, blood cell, or molecule, yet we have no problem believing they all exist.
We CHOOSE to believe in many things that our senses cannot perceive. Ironically, when it comes to believing in God, the response is too often, “I can’t believe in someone I can’t see.”
We can easily observe that seasons, tides, sunrises, and sunsets all have specific patterns and timing. Creation is not a random conglomeration of things that somehow “just work.” God’s creative imprint is on display throughout creation.
I had the privilege and joy of a career in radio. Often when I was driving home after work, I would scan other stations to hear what they were doing. On one listening occasion, I caught an interview with one of my favorite authors, Philip Yancey. His books “The Jesus I Never Knew,” “Where is God When it Hurts,” “What’s So Amazing About Grace,” “Disappointment with God,” and “Fearfully and Wonderfully Made” have all impacted me and stretched my faith. (I highly recommend reading any of Mr. Yancey’s books.)
As I listened to Philip unpack his faith journey, he talked about growing up in a very legalistic church. He hated attending each week. He decided when the choice was up to him, he would never attend church again. He said he thought all the “God stuff” was a waste of time. Things gradually changed when he honestly looked at the world around him. Philip explained there were three specific things he could not explain away. The first was nature. An outdoor lover, Phillip loved to sit in the woods and soak in his surroundings. The variety of colors and shapes got his attention and observing the symbiotic workings of nature, he could not deny the majesty and intricacy of it all. He logically reasoned that a master designer had to be behind it.
The second thing he wrestled with was the mystery and power of music. He reasoned It could not have “just happened” – how could it just appear from nothing? What was its purpose? He was gripped by classical music by Mozart, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, and others. How could these compositions be so complex? So intricate and beautiful? What caused music to be so emotionally moving even without words? Along with pondering the wonders of nature, Philip could not explain music away or deny its deep and universal impact.
Lastly, and the most profound, was the existence and purpose of love. He reasoned that love could not have just appeared for no reason. Humans by nature were clearly self-centered and often selfish. What would cause a person to choose to put someone else and their needs above themselves? Love changed all of that. Philip remembered hearing that “We love because he first loved us” and “God is Love.” These three specific elements pierced his soul, eventually causing him to embrace God as Creator, and Jesus as the one to deliver him from sin and its fatal consequences.
God does not shy away from any of our questions. He is big enough to deal with them. My point in recounting this story is to challenge YOU to think about the place of faith in your own life. What or who are you putting your faith in? Be an honest seeker of truth! I would also suggest you watch the movie or read the book “The Case for Christ” from Lee Strobel.
“Without faith, it is impossible to please God because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” Hebrews 11:6
The Bible also boldly states, “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” Romans 1:20
I am grateful that with faith we can embrace the God who created it all—the seen and unseen.
