"Impossibility is an opportunity." (5)

 "Impossibility is an opportunity." (5)

[Romans 4:17–25]

Second, faith enables us to see what cannot be seen.

Hebrews 11:1 says:

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”

When I think about this second definition of faith, three Bible passages come to mind:

(1) The first passage that came to mind is 2 Kings 6:13–17.

In this passage, when the king of Aram sent his army at night to capture Elisha (v.13) and surrounded the city where Elisha was staying (v.14), Elisha’s servant woke up in the morning, saw the city surrounded by the Aramean army, and cried out in fear:

“Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?” [(New Korean Translation - NKRV): “Master, what should we do now?”] (v.15).

Elisha answered, “Don’t be afraid. Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” (v.16, NKRV).

Then Elisha prayed, “Lord, open his eyes so that he may see.” [(NKRV): “Lord, open this servant’s eyes so that he may see.”] (v.17).

When God opened his eyes, the servant saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha (v.17).

Interestingly, right after that, when the Aramean army advanced to capture Elisha, he prayed, “Lord, strike these people with blindness,” and God struck them with blindness (v.18, NKRV).

(2) The second passage is Hebrews 11:13–14.

“These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.”

[(NKRV): “All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. In saying such things, they showed that they were looking for a homeland.”]

When I think about the faith of these forefathers, I think, “They lived a life of seeing and showing by faith.”

That is, by faith—like it says in Hebrews 11:10 (NKRV)—they looked forward to and saw “the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.”

They showed that the homeland they were seeking was not “this world” (v.13, NKRV), but “the other world” or “the world to come”—the “heavenly city.”

At this point, I’m reminded of what I meditated on this Wednesday morning from Luke 2:41–52, under the title:

“I want to be a wise Christian who lives a life centered on the New Jerusalem.”

(3) The third and final passage is Job 42:5.

“My ears had heard of you, but now my eyes have seen you.”

[(NKRV): “I had only heard of you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes.”]

This verse expresses Job’s confession that, through the intense suffering he experienced, he moved from a passive faith (a faith based on hearing) to an active, personal, and deeper faith—one that comes from a direct encounter with God.

As one commentator put it:

“From a faith that only heard, to a faith that sees: Before, I knew about God only through Scripture or others. But now, through suffering, I have experienced God personally and felt His presence.”

To conclude this meditation:

Scripture says faith is “the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1).

“Evidence” means assurance or conviction. Faith is an inner assurance of unseen things.

It is the firm belief that what God has promised, God will surely accomplish.

But even this assurance comes from God.

Faith is not something we force with our own will by saying, “I believe! I believe!”

It is not manufactured by effort; it is given by God.