Faith with Substance

SCRIPTURE:  Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1

QUOTE: “That faith is but opinion or fancy which does not realize invisible things to the soul, and excite the soul to act agreeably to the nature and importance of them.” – Matthew Henry, Commentary on Hebrews 11:1, circa 1710

THOUGHT: It’s a shame that so much language has been hijacked in our lifetimes. The word “substance” is one such loss. It means material, matter, element – a word that’s all about the stuff of reality. Of course today we only hear it connected to the abuse of drugs. We could probably make a case that abusing drugs is an abuse of reality, but most people don’t think like that. So, just for a few minutes, let’s think of it in its original connotation as the writer of Hebrews did. Faith as matter – a realization that what we most deeply hope for exists. And there is evidence of it if we’re looking for evidence.

When you sit on a beautiful beach with tears in your eyes, or hike an alpine trail with deep appreciation; when you stop for a moment to watch thunderheads build against a deep blue sky or hold a newborn and are aware of the sacredness of life; when you listen to a stirring song or sermon or experience a moment where you feel completely known and loved by another, your deepest hope is stirred. Life is full of these moments, but sometimes (perhaps most times) we pass them by, in a hurry to achieve rather than receive. We can become hardened to hope as a way to protect our hearts – because hope can hurt. We’re not in control of what we cannot see.

This is where faith comes in, and where faith and hope are so inexorably bound together. The same writer of Hebrews 11:1 penned these words six verses later: And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. God’s existence is perhaps our life’s most important exercise of finding substance (material, matter, reality) in what we hope for and evidence of things we can’t see. Without it, we can’t get much further. Faith that God exists and rewards our seeking becomes a foundation for every other hope, every bit of substance, and every evidence our souls need to press on.

PRAYER: Oh God, thank you for rewarding our seeking with substance.