Readings for today: Exodus 13:17-15:18, Matthew 21:23-46, Psalms 26, Proverbs 6:16-19
Human beings seem naturally wired for disbelief. No matter what God does, it’s never enough. Plagues in Egypt? Deliverance from slavery? Parting the Red Sea? Why is it so hard for us to believe? So hard for us to trust? Sure, we get that initial bounce when we experience a miracle. There’s that initial rush of adrenaline as we realize we’ve come face to face with God. In Exodus 14:31, the Bible says, “Israel saw the great power that the Lord used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses.” But as we shall see, their belief will soon fade in the days ahead. Eventually the spiritual high wears off and they will revert to form.
We are no different. How many of us can point to moments in our lives when God showed up in power? Experiences we had where God drew very near? Perhaps it was at the deathbed of a loved one or the birth of a child. Perhaps we sensed God’s presence as we hiked through the mountains or fished our favorite stream. Perhaps God met us in worship or on a spiritual retreat. Maybe we’ve even experienced a true miracle in our lives. In those moments, we find the hair on the back of our necks standing straight up. Shivers go up and down our spine. And that’s when it hits us...we’ve just been touched by God.
Why don’t these moments last? Why do they seem to have so little staying power? Why are we so quick to forget? So quick to revert back to form? The Bible answer this question. We are sinners. We have a hard time walking by faith. Our hearts naturally inclined towards disbelief.
I have several friends who want to believe. They wish they could believe. They love the gospel but it just sounds too good to be true. They’ve had moments in their lives where God showed up. Moments where they experienced God’s presence. Moments where God revealed Himself in a powerful way. But it’s never enough. They always want more. More proof. More evidence. They demand God meet them on their terms. I get it. I feel that same pull myself.
What is faith? According to Hebrews 11:1, “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” According to Romans 4:21, faith is being “fully convinced that God is able to do what he’s promised.” Faith is not based on human logic. It is not dependent on human emotion. It is not grounded in human experience. It is not easy. It is not simple. It is not blind. It is a trust that God is who He says He is and will be faithful to do what He promises He will do.
Readings for tomorrow: Exodus 15:19-17:7, Matthew 22:1-33, Psalms 27:1-6, Proverbs 6:20-26