"By Faith [your name here]..."

What if faith wasn’t just blind trust in something? What if it wasn’t just hollow assumption? What if it wasn’t just taking someone at their word, keeping your fingers crossed on whether or not they’ll actually come through on their promise? Well actually, it’s not!

Hebrews 11:1 tells us that, “faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Faith takes empty hope and gives it substance. It is not blind assumption of something, but rather evidence for it. Often we may feel as if we are on trial for our beliefs; with the world around us, or even our own doubt, prosecuting, and with our ‘mere faith’ put forth as an argument against us; but in this light, it becomes evidence for us. A defense attorney often may have to search and search for evidence, but in this case, it is offered freely to us as a gift! For many, however, that is the problem.

In the film Angels and Demons, the main character, asked if he believes in God, states, “Faith is a gift that I have yet to receive.” This is how a lot of people view faith: a gift which they simply haven't gotten yet. The description is true, but only in so much that it is a gift which they also have yet to accept. Of course you cannot properly receive a gift without first accepting it! The fact that faith is a gift also exposes a major flaw in a common human reasoning for disbelief in God. There are those who think that the God of Christianity supposedly refuses to give us proof of His existence because that removes any need for faith, and that without this blind belief, He would be nothing. This is not true faith or what Christians actually believe, yet so many people believe the idea that God is dependent on the faith that mortals give Him. However, Hebrews 11 goes on to show that this idea of faith is wrong as well.

The chapter cites many notable displays of faith in biblical history. By faith Noah built the ark and was counted as righteous in God’s eyes. By faith Abraham answered God’s call and came to the land God promised him. Notice how it doesn't say Abraham did this and that with faith that it would hopefully end well, but that he accomplished everything he did by faith. Jesus Himself, upon healing both the blind man and the woman who touched his robe, told both of them, “Your faith hath made you whole.” Faith is so powerful that it was the very thing that brought about their healing from Jesus!  Faith still involves taking God at His Word, even when we cannot see the outcome, but true faith is by no means blind and groundless.  The very fact that it isn't groundless is what makes it faith and nothing less.

We do not empower God (much less bring about his existence) with faith we put in Him. That would be nonsense; something created cannot bring into existence or sustain its own Creator. Rather it is we who are sustained by the faith God gives to us. Abraham, Noah, Moses, and all the rest could not have done the things they did by their own innate ability or strength. They accomplished it through the faith God gave them. 

God’s gift of Salvation goes hand-in-hand with His gift of faith. Faith is so powerful and essential to salvation that it is what enabled Abraham (and everyone else born long before Christ paid the price for sin) to still be saved. So instead of waiting for faith to magically appear for you, reach out and embrace it! Once you allow it to shape your life, who knows if perhaps many generations from now, authors will tell of how you, by faith, changed the world!