Seen

Hebrews 11:1-3 (NIV)

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.

By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.

This is the Word of God for the People of God. Thanks be to God.

Who is smarter, us or them?

By us, I mean we people who live today. Modern, technologically advanced, highly educated, rational folks of the 21st century.

By them, I mean "the ancients" referred to in this scripture from Hebrews. They believed the world was pancake-flat. They knew that the Sun revolved around the earth, certainly not vice-versa. They didn't know about germs, physics or DNA.

Not even any cell phones.

And yet we are told that they were "commended" for being sure of what they hoped for and certain of what they did not see.

In that sense, they were certainly "smarter" than us.

We have some big struggles around believing in what we can't see.

We like to dissect, weigh, diagram and reassemble. We strive for understanding. Knowledge is power and power is king.

It's easy to over-romanticize the past. Ancient history certainly had more than its share of abuse, evil and sin.

But perhaps there was a greater propensity toward Belief.

That's something the ancients could teach us.

The head is good...but real spiritual growth and "enlightenment" happens in the heart. When God helps us put them both together, we begin taking steps down the path of life.

We become disciples.

Prayer: God our Father, we pray that you would give us eyes of the heart...that dare to believe in what our physical eyes cannot see.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be. World without end. Amen.