By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. Hebrews 11:3
Many falsely consider that faith is the absence of thought, that it is simply a call to blind trust and grit in rehearsed truth. Yet to understand something, one must consider, think, postulate, examine, test, and conclude. We look at the world around us—the various shapes of leaves upon numerous species of trees, the unrepeated beauty of the sunrises and sunsets, the ceaseless tossing of the waves against the beach—and we consider, this place is not ultimate; there must be something greater, someone grander behind what I can see. We know this by thinking and postulating and concluding.
Of course, because of sin’s effects, our minds are darkened and need the light of God’s Words to bring understanding in fuller measure. We’ll begin our trip through the Hall of Faith where the author starts—at creation.
Open up your Bible and read Genesis 1:1-26 and answer these questions:
What words begin each paragraph?
What words mark the end of each day?
When God looks over his creation, what reflection is repeated over and over?
What is different about the creation of man?
Why does the creation account require faith to understand?
If the creation account is true, what must be true about God?
If the nature of faith is more than simply a list of truths to cling to and more about moving those truths into the depths of our understanding, we can conclude that sometimes faith actually requires mental labor. When worries or cares consume us, the way forward calls us to witness again the marvelous works of God, to consider all he has done, and this draws us into confidence that can only come from knowing more of him.