Faith, Then Sight

Faith, Then Sight

Read: John 11:1-44

“Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?”

John 11:40

“Faith expects from God what is beyond all expectation.”

—Andrew Murray

IN WORD One of the foundational dynamics of the kingdom of God is this principle: faith, then sight. How often we try to reverse the order! Our natural inclination—and probably that of Martha in this passage, as she mourns the death of her brother Lazarus—is to say we’ll believe when we see the glory of God. But throughout Jesus’ ministry, He is emphatic that we have it backward. We’ll see the glory of God when we believe.

It’s the way of the flesh that says, “I’ll believe it when I see it.” Jesus says, “You’ll see it when you believe it.” It’s one of the hardest principles for Christians to grasp. The work of almighty, sovereign God is often actually dependent on the level of our faith. It isn’t that we limit Him; it’s that He has limited Himself. His modus operandi in this world is to act in response to faith: the prayers of faith, the obedience of faith, the attitude of faith. As incredible as it seems, the biblical witness is that our belief prompts His intervention. And without belief, He often does not intervene.

IN DEED Do you find yourself in a difficult situation? Believe God, and you will see His glory. That doesn’t mean that we lay out a plan of action for Him and then complain when He meets our needs another way. Faith does not dictate God’s method of intervention. But it certainly invites His act of intervention—in His way and in His time.

This will mean believing that God has specifically allowed your crisis in the first place. Jesus let Lazarus die— on purpose! He said His friend’s sickness was for the glory of God to be revealed (v. 4), and He intentionally stayed where He was for two days after hearing of Lazarus’ illness (v. 6). When a crisis comes, do we complain that God was not watching over us, or do we watch for His glory? Our inward response might have more impact than we think. Jesus is clear: “If you believed, you would see the glory of God.”