-- Mark 3:21
Faith doesn't always make sense. If it did, it wouldn't really be faith. We see evidences of this God in whom we have believed, but we do not see him. (Of course the same can be said of wind and gravity.)
The writer of the letter to the Hebrews put it this way:
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
-- Hebrews 11:1
Now, nowhere in scripture are we called to "check our brains" at faith's door. People of faith have historically led advancements in all areas; the arts, the sciences, commerce, etc. And blind faith has sometimes been used as a smokescreen excuse for both intellectual and theological laziness.
That said, if we wait for things to make perfect sense prior to believing, we will not believe. God speaks these words through the prophet Isaiah:
For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
-- Isaiah 55:8-9
Jesus' own family didn't fully understand who he was or what was his mission - at least not early on. And for each of us there are times faith compels us to make decisions that may not make perfect sense. We may call it a leap of faith, but in reality, we can never out-leap God's care, power and ability to catch us when we jump.
We should always evaluate our leaps according to scripture and through prayer, and even counsel with other believers. But ultimately, your leap is yours, and mine is mine.
I have spent far too long, as I look back, on the ledges of faith. Ledges create vertigo and eventually immobilize. There comes a time to leap.
When my youngest daughter was very young I had to constantly keep my head on a swivel when I took her to the pool. She would leap from the side, diving board, ledge, etc. without hesitation, because she had complete faith that dad would catch her.
We should have the same faith in our Father. We can never out-leap his desire and power to catch leapers.
God, today I will leap because I know you are there...
For now...
D
