On Not Knowing

Greetings Dear Reader,

A few days ago I mentioned to someone that “God never gets the weather wrong.”  This is one of those things I try to practice in my attitudes so that I am less curmudgeonly than my lesser nature wishes me to be.  The individual to whom I said this became quite angry and let me know it.

What she said was, “I am agnostic.  You cannot KNOW that there is a god.  There are too many variables to consider and too differences on what would constitute proof.”

I smiled at her.  I then replied that I was glad that I could not know because I valued my faith so dearly.  I am amazed at how true this.  We must come to God by faith.  I suppose that exercise of that faith over the years has made it quite strong.  I do not mean that as arrogance but like anything what we use becomes stronger. 

This makes me wonder though what those who claim one cannot know are really saying.  I know that I cannot know and that drives me to faith.  My faith is hard won and the thought that I will one day not need it is bittersweet.  I love using my faith.  I love trusting and seeing my trust confirmed.

When I fail to have faith I always get hurt.  When I fail to use that faith in my interactions with others I usually hurt them.  So what is it that causes one to exercise faith and another to shrink away from it in not knowing?  I have no idea.

I have read and heard much about the reasonableness for the existence of God.  I honestly do not think we can reason our way to faith.  I think it is what it is; a choice.  We either believe or do not.  When we choose not to believe we always reason our way to unbelief.  It is in the mind that we reason that we that we will not believe or that we no longer believe.

Sometimes we give up our faith because of life circumstances or the actions of others.  On occasion we are pushing away someone by rejecting our faith.  It is such a personal thing this faith between a man and God.  It is one of those things that is difficult to articulate but you know it when you have it.  That even seems like a platitude.  I did not reason my way to faith.  I believe more and more that faith is valid but rarely reasonable.

To hear with my heart

To see with my soul

To be guided by a hand I cannot hold

To trust in a way I cannot see

That’s what faith must be.  – Michael Card

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."