Rules of Engagement – Faith not Sight

Greetings Dear Reader,

I once stood under a clear and blazing sky on a moonless night.  I was high up in the mountains and it was one of those cold crisp winter nights.  I was on an overnight trip with a friend and we were standing outside to cool off as the cabin we were in was too warm.  We were three hours into a friendly but serious palaver about the existence of God and the need for faith.

Beneath this blanket of beautiful stars my friend looks up and says, “I just wish God would give me a sign that he is there.”  Even as my mind took in the amazing beauty of the night sky and thought of how much the heavens do declare the glory of God a brilliant orange shooting star traced the entire arc of our field of vision.

I watched the wonder pass across his face.  He stood there for a moment dumbfounded by both the inherent artistry of the moment and the timing of it.  He recovered quickly and said, “That was just a coincidence.  It was probably just some space junk falling back to us.”

I do not know why we constantly ask God to prove his existence, involvement, and love.  I know that when I find that I am asking for any of this it is because I am unwilling to follow the path where it is leading.  God has decided that we have to come to him willingly and by faith.  He does not force us and he is not obligated to give proof beyond that which is already there.  I cannot pretend to know why he set things up this way but when engaging with God the rule is that we must do so by faith.

“No one can please God without faith. Whoever goes to God must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”  I realize that this is almost circular in its approach but I do not get to make the rules.  Jesus made it clear that the fuel for the journey is faith.  The accounts we have of all that Jesus did are centered on building and securing faith.

I would rather not have to walk by faith.  I would rather have clear sight as to what is next and how to proceed.  The problem is that this does not work.  When God personally led his chosen in the desert they still built a golden calf the minute he got busy with something else.

My friend still insists that he must not need faith to believe in God.  Faith has a limited shelf life.  Eventually it will not be necessary because there will be sight.  Jesus wondered if he would find faith on the earth when he returned.  Just believing that he will return assures that if he shows up today he will find it.  Faith comes easy for me.  I do not like.  I would rather know.  That is not how it works so I embrace what does.  I look forward to my faith becoming sight and faith no longer being necessary.  For now though, it is the primary rule of engagement with God.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store."