Believe

Believe

Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

“MOM, THE TOOTH FAIRY forgot to come last night,” my daughter said, a hitch in her tone. She was clearly devastated but trying to put on a brave face.

My eyes widened behind her back as I shot a dismayed look at my husband.

“Gosh, I’m sorry,” I said soothingly. “Let me check with her and get back to you, okay?”

“Okay,” she said.

“Nice job, tooth fairy,” my husband teased after she left the room. In our home, I’m the tooth fairy, and normally I have no problems remembering to stash a dollar on the dresser. Luckily for me, our particular tooth fairy has an email address, and she sent my daughter a message later that day to apologize for being a little under the weather and needing to reschedule.

On one hand it seems naive that kids would believe in a magical creature that collects teeth. But in some ways, I envy children. As we grow into adulthood, it becomes harder to believe. Disappointments happen. The world reveals its cruelty and evil. And we struggle to hold on to the truth and the miracle of our belief in Jesus and his love for the world.

I wonder if what we often lose when we shift to adulthood is the gift of imagination: the gift to see endless possibilities. And yet I’ve seen Jesus at work in my own life and in the lives of others. I’ve experienced his comfort, his grace, his mercy. And my experience combined with my decision to believe is what gives me faith.

Let’s recover some of what we’ve lost. We can’t see Jesus—and yet we wait. We can’t always understand what’s going on—yet we trust his plan. We can’t always feel his presence—yet we love him. This belief requires us to look forward, focusing ever and always on the inheritance in heaven that is “imperishable, undefiled, and unfading” (1 Peter 1:4, ESV). That’s a belief worth holding on to.

Lord, thank you for your Son. Help us to hold tightly to the truth of what we believe. Amen.

-Kristin

One Good Step: In what ways have your beliefs changed over time? What’s the best way to hold on to the unshakable truth of Jesus?