Faith...and imagination
We know that faith is "the evidence of things unseen and the substance of things hoped for." Let me give you an example of this from the Old Testament that was recently brought to my attention through Beth Moore's radio ministry.
But before I can do that, step back with me to the week of Spring Break. I've been very busy at work trying to make some things work that have...frankly...were delivered before they were ready.
Jen wanted to go to Austin and to Houston. She knew I was busy, so she went ahead and took the kids. It was the third or fourth time the situation at work has turned into giving up family time to try and help them through a problem of their own creation. Needless to say, I wasn't in a great mood.
But the Aggies had a great year, and they were playing in the first round of the NCAAs against Syracuse. So I packed up my laptop and headed home...I thought...in time to see the game.
Except the valve stem on one of my tires was worn and it let out the last dribble of air as the left front tire went flat. I pulled over to fix it...annoyed at the timing as I was now missing the tip off for the game.
The next morning I took the car into the NTB between home and work. They were running behind schedule, so when we got the car in the bay, I went ahead and had them check brakes and watched as they figured out the plan with the valve stem. I was out of there around 11:00 am...a full two hours after when I normally am on the way to work.
I've written before that I enjoy listening to Chuck Swindoll on the way to work. At this time, though, one of Jennifer's favorite bible study teachers was on. Jen has encouraged me several times to listen to Beth if I got the opportunity. So I took her up on it.
Beth was talking about things from a slightly different perspective than I was used to. She brings an authentic female voice to an in-depth Biblical presentation. She spoke of doctrinal issues I agree with. She said that belief is not based on emotion, but she warned her listeners not to let people talk you out of faith being an emotional experience. Since this is a gripe that I have had with our sometimes too logical faith presentations, she had my attention.
She continued by saying that faith is about belief, about emotion, and about imagination. As she said that, God's Spirit whispered in my ear: "that's true."
What did she mean by faith being about imagination? She went on to explain using a peculiar feature of the temple. Near the altar where the priests burn sacrifices, within the Court of Priests and in front of the entrance to a very important building, there is a place of cleansing that is usually called a laver. At the earthly temple, it is filled with water and each shift of priests ceremonially cleanses with that water.
The laver is made of bronze...not gold...not silver...bronze. It is very large and the only way that it can be used to fulfill its purpose is if it is refilled daily. So the first priest to come on duty for the day...the one that cleans the ashes off of the altar...also fills the laver.
Beth pointed out that in heaven there is a similar structure. In fact, if you research the Hebrew word that is used to refer to the laver, you get a hint of the heavenly analog--the container is called the molten sea.
What is the sea in heaven that I'm referring to?
Rev 4:6 (NIV)Also before the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.
So what, you might be wondering. Let me give you the verse Beth offered to explain how the two "seas" are related:
Micah 7:19 (NIV) You will again have compassion on us;
you will tread our sins underfoot
and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.
Beth went on to point out that the picture from the temple is only a shadow of the reality in heaven. Essentially, God gives us very small glimpses through "a glass darkly" of what that future reality is like.
The rest of these things hoped for and these things unseen he leaves...through faith...to our imagination. Given the meticulous nature of the priests keeping the temple grounds, faithfully following the rituals that God gave them, can't you imagine how much greater heaven will be?
Hold onto that thought. We'll explore the concept of faith and imagination more in the upcoming weeks. I am convinced it is the key to understanding God.
P.S. I thank God for the flat tire.
But before I can do that, step back with me to the week of Spring Break. I've been very busy at work trying to make some things work that have...frankly...were delivered before they were ready.
Jen wanted to go to Austin and to Houston. She knew I was busy, so she went ahead and took the kids. It was the third or fourth time the situation at work has turned into giving up family time to try and help them through a problem of their own creation. Needless to say, I wasn't in a great mood.
But the Aggies had a great year, and they were playing in the first round of the NCAAs against Syracuse. So I packed up my laptop and headed home...I thought...in time to see the game.
Except the valve stem on one of my tires was worn and it let out the last dribble of air as the left front tire went flat. I pulled over to fix it...annoyed at the timing as I was now missing the tip off for the game.
The next morning I took the car into the NTB between home and work. They were running behind schedule, so when we got the car in the bay, I went ahead and had them check brakes and watched as they figured out the plan with the valve stem. I was out of there around 11:00 am...a full two hours after when I normally am on the way to work.
I've written before that I enjoy listening to Chuck Swindoll on the way to work. At this time, though, one of Jennifer's favorite bible study teachers was on. Jen has encouraged me several times to listen to Beth if I got the opportunity. So I took her up on it.
Beth was talking about things from a slightly different perspective than I was used to. She brings an authentic female voice to an in-depth Biblical presentation. She spoke of doctrinal issues I agree with. She said that belief is not based on emotion, but she warned her listeners not to let people talk you out of faith being an emotional experience. Since this is a gripe that I have had with our sometimes too logical faith presentations, she had my attention.
She continued by saying that faith is about belief, about emotion, and about imagination. As she said that, God's Spirit whispered in my ear: "that's true."
What did she mean by faith being about imagination? She went on to explain using a peculiar feature of the temple. Near the altar where the priests burn sacrifices, within the Court of Priests and in front of the entrance to a very important building, there is a place of cleansing that is usually called a laver. At the earthly temple, it is filled with water and each shift of priests ceremonially cleanses with that water.
The laver is made of bronze...not gold...not silver...bronze. It is very large and the only way that it can be used to fulfill its purpose is if it is refilled daily. So the first priest to come on duty for the day...the one that cleans the ashes off of the altar...also fills the laver.
Beth pointed out that in heaven there is a similar structure. In fact, if you research the Hebrew word that is used to refer to the laver, you get a hint of the heavenly analog--the container is called the molten sea.
What is the sea in heaven that I'm referring to?
Rev 4:6 (NIV)Also before the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.
So what, you might be wondering. Let me give you the verse Beth offered to explain how the two "seas" are related:
Micah 7:19 (NIV) You will again have compassion on us;
you will tread our sins underfoot
and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.
Beth went on to point out that the picture from the temple is only a shadow of the reality in heaven. Essentially, God gives us very small glimpses through "a glass darkly" of what that future reality is like.
The rest of these things hoped for and these things unseen he leaves...through faith...to our imagination. Given the meticulous nature of the priests keeping the temple grounds, faithfully following the rituals that God gave them, can't you imagine how much greater heaven will be?
Hold onto that thought. We'll explore the concept of faith and imagination more in the upcoming weeks. I am convinced it is the key to understanding God.
P.S. I thank God for the flat tire.
posted by greg.w.h@8:17 PM link-to-post
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