Friday, January 26, 2024  

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Scripture Reading
Hebrews 11:1–3

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. (NRSV)

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Reflection

My toddler loves to ask “Why?” I love that he’s curious and eager to learn. Most of the time I have an answer for him. Sometimes, though, it really comes down to “Because I said so.” Now, if you’ve ever been around a toddler, you know that’s not a satisfying answer. To be fair, I don’t find that to be a satisfying answer when I ask why either. I want the explanation, the logic, the rationale.

I have a lot of “why” questions when I think about Christianity, and probably even more “how” questions. There are some questions that science or history can explain, but there are some that frankly don’t have an answer. For example, how do I know Jesus actually rose from the dead and ascended into heaven? There aren’t any TikTok videos or Instagram pictures. How do I know God even exists in the first place? There’s no way to scientifically prove it — at least not yet.

For me, one of the greatest things about faith is that it exists without needing a logical or scientific explanation. In fact, that’s kind of the point. It’s the conviction of things not seen. In other words, it’s the belief in things I can’t prove or explain. That’s so liberating.

The way I see it, the whole concept of faith gives me permission to believe something without needing to explain the “why” or “how” of it. In this case, “Because I [God] said so” is all I need.

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Prayer
For the gift of faith, the ability to believe and trust in things I can’t see or explain, I give you thanks, Lord. Amen.

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Written by Nicole Spirgen, Member of Fourth Presbyterian Church

Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church

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