The opening text will come from a book by Abraham Joshua Heschel (God in Search of Man - A Philosophy of Judaism). As you are able to see by the title, the language may be a bit dated and therefore, I will, when able, make the language inclusive.
There is no faith at first sight. A faith that comes into being like a butterfly is ephemeral. (One) who is swift to believe is swift to forget.
Faith does not come into being out of nothing, inadvertently, unprepared, as an unearthed surprise. Faith is preceded by awe, by acts of amazement at things that we apprehend but cannot comprehend. In the story of the Red Sea we read: “Israel saw the great works which the Lord did…and the people feared the Lord…and they believed in the Lord.” (Exodus 14:31). We must learn how to see “the miracles which are daily with us”; we must learn how to live in awe, in order to attain the insights of faith.
In the gospels and in the Book of Acts, it is interesting to see when people are “filled with amazement” or “terror and amazement” or “perplexed” or “filled with wonder and amazement.” It is also interesting to see what happens next. The come to trust/have faith…or…they try to react violently to what it was that was so amazing. I think Heschel’s comment that “acts of amazement” are at “things that we apprehend but cannot comprehend.” It is as though we see…we connect…we are thrown for a loop…we cannot grab hold of the whole thing…and yet we are draw/pulled forward to trust…to go forward with no absolute proof of anything...and yet we go. The future becomes that which is engaged with a sense of awe and wonder…and therefore with a sense of openness to what may take place….trusting….faith.
Connection: There are many ways that we brush against the wonder of God’s reign each day. It may well be the beginning of a new adventure in which we have faith in our God to lead us and guide us into our next brush with God’s reign.
Lord of New Life, take hold of us and let your Spirit sweep us off our feet and shake us up so that we may look with new eyes…eyes of faith at the day ahead. Amen.
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