Fairytale Faith
And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. Matthew 7:25 ESV
Did not fall – You want your faith to stand, right? You want it built on the solid rock, able to weather the trials and tribulations of life. Accordingly, you’ve been taught to embrace certain unassailable truths of Scripture, usually communicated as doctrine. In Western religion, these are found in “statements of faith” or membership classes or creeds. The idea is that if you believe the right things, you can weather the storms. You probably interpreted this verse according to the hymn lyrics, “On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.” Is that what you did, placing all your faith in Jesus so you could feel safe and secure?
How’s that working out for you?
One of our fellowship readers has this to say:
I have walked the Akivan path for periods of time and was occasionally enraptured in delicious moments of “clairvoyance!” It seems so foolish to me now. That path never bore any fruit that I can recognize as good. It didn’t save me from any suffering either. In recent years, I have found some comfort in not knowing anything. Hope… sure. Belief… sometimes. Faith? Ha! So often I see how weak I am. And yet, I have to admit, I think I see progress. Maybe it’s just the product of getting older. Maybe that’s all it’s supposed to be. Suffering will have its way and do its work and I will be brought low and He will be glad. And His smile is all I ever really needed. Whether or not I see another day, is not my business.
Heschel reminds us: “Only those who live spiritually on edge will be able to go beyond the shore without longing for the certainties established on the artificial rock of our speculation.”[1] The key to Heschel’s remark is the phrase “longing for the certainties.” I’m afraid we all want that. We want assurances, better known as “proof positive,” “undoubtable” statements that will make everything right. We want the code book of life, the deep secrets that will guide us unscathed through it all. In other words, we want a fairytale faith. That’s why Heschel’s reminder is so important. Unless you are living on the bleeding edge of spirituality, you won’t be able to leave the shore of certainty and set out for the land of trust. You see, if I have certainty, then I don’t need trust—and I don’t have a relationship. I have a piece of vouchsafedinformation.
How’s that working out for you?
It is my opinion (and since it is only my opinion, you are free to disagree), that faith is the opposite of certainty and that makes faith very, very risky. About as risky as every other personal relationship we are engaged in and take for granted. When you really think about it, all of your relationships are built on trust. None are certain. Maybe risk is the way after all. So, how’s that working out for you?
Topical Index: faith, certainty, trust, risk, Matthew 7:25
[1] Abraham Heschel, Man Is Not Alone, p. 58.
