Why Faith?

The following is a sort of "stream of consciousness" note I wrote on an airplane on the way back home from a business trip.  I was going to re-write it and make it into a polished blog post, but I have decided to post it as is (with some grammar and spelling corrections of course) instead. Some parts of it have incomplete thoughts or jumps but it seemed meaningful to me as it was, so here goes - please let me know what thoughts it triggers in you when you read it!

Why faith? Not only does it seem counterproductive and needlessly difficult, but it seems even mean. I am not saying that I am angry or unwilling exactly, but I often find myself wishing that even if the initial approach to God had to be by faith that after that we might get a "glimpse of heaven" or an indisputable sign from God to confirm (to my natural man?) the wonderful realities of conversion - a reward for those who did choose for the Lord. Instead, God continues to "hide" in heaven, and the next day the world beckons with its temptations and second-rate wonders and we can feel like we have awakened from an (admittedly pleasant) dream into "real life" again. So, we come in by faith, and we maintain by faith, and we stand by faith. Why? Several biblical heroes (Stephen and Paul for example) got personal visits - but then again they both had to endure special torture and martyrdom. Many other martyrs, on the other hand, got no vision or visit at all but still managed to maintain their faith through thick and thin. So visions are not necessarily needed for faith at least. Some people stand on subjective feelings of God's presence or things like that, but many other people from many "faith traditions" trust their feelings like little Jedi knights right into hell, so that is nothing to stand on by itself!

So why faith anyway?? Why faith for salvation, and faith for perseverance and faith for sanctification????

I was (as I often do) asking God this question today, and an answer came to my mind fully formed - it was not really a new thought for me (I have been toying with a blog post on the subject for a while now that will be titled "balancing on a knife edge" or something like that) but it felt more personal and came in the more poetic form of song lyrics. But as usual I did not write them down at the time (to be fair I was driving to Newark airport at the time). It went like this: Real faith flows from real love. When Constantine converted the Roman empire to 'Christianity' the church became filled with wicked people and pagans. It is pretty clear that people who could see God but have no internal love for Him will nonetheless see "which side their bread is buttered on" and join the cheering crowds. Even in Revelation we see that there is a worldwide rebellion against God after one thousand years of peace and prosperity with Jesus Christ ruling as King openly! Can there be better proof that direct evidence does not foster love and faith toward God?

Trusting God by faith is not fun. It requires vigilance and choices that go against the grain of our "old man". It requires self denial out of love. It tests us and makes real conversion evident in a way that would not be possible if God put on shows where the stars rearranged into words spelling out John 3:16 in big letters every Thursday. If I am forced to trust in the hidden God by faith, I get feedback about the state of my own heart directly. I know if I love Him or not. Only someone that has a real desire to be right with God will trust Him and walk "not by sight".

"I love you and want you with Me, so I hide so you know that you are mine".