Day 58 - Hebrews

Faith -- it is the central cog in Christianity.  There's no other way around it.  Preachers do not ask people to come to the front to put their fact in Jesus; they ask them to come put their faith in Jesus.  Hebrews 11 is kind of a "Hall of Faith."  I suggest reading it.  It's cool to read about the heroes of the faith.  That's really what it's about.  Hebrews 11:1 sums up this mysterious thing called 'faith.'

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." 

That's it.  Faith flies in the face of conventional wisdom.  It always kind of gets on my nerves when Christians try to 'prove' things.  Followers of Jesus don't work off of proof.  We are people of faith.  Faith says that the impossible has happened and will happen.  Faith says I'm sure God will move, even though I can't prove it or see it.  Faith says that I believe even though it's 2,000 years later.  Faith says I am convinced even though it doesn't always make sense.  Faith says I surrender to God's will, even when the hard evidence tells me I should do otherwise.

I think we want to 'prove' things because, in truth, operating in faith seems a little bit looney to the world -- and no one wants to be looney.  But I want you to know something:  you can't escape faith.  Following Jesus is not about proof.  Ephesians 2:8-9 says we are "saved by grace through faith."  Grace is God's part; faith is our part.  The beautiful thing about faith, though, is that it points us to a life that has no rules.  We are not bound by conventional wisdom and what makes sense anymore.  Through faith, all things are possible.  Miracles happen, lives are changed, the dead come to life.  That is faith.  That is what it's all about.  It's okay to like data, but never forget that those life in Christ is a life of faith.