Invisibility

    As I sit at my ninth-floor apartment window and enjoy the park and woodland below, I am looking through something very solid, that I can’t see—a glass window. If I open the window, I now find that I’m looking through something insubstantial, that I still can’t see, namely, air. It seems unlikely that ancient man believed in a clear, flawless invisible thing like glass, or even the invisible gasses of air. How would we ever convince him that these things exist? Well, rap your knuckles against the glass and you know pretty quickly. How about the invisible gasses? This takes a little more thought, but snuffing a candle may be a clue. A better and deeper explanation takes a more investigative mind and really gets into “science’.

    Following these analogies, it seems obvious that there might be other things out there that we can’t see—perhaps another person’s spirit, for instance. To say you only believe in things you can see is very “short-sighted”, to say the least. But Holy Scripture takes us a great deal further—there are invisible living beings. And there is a God Who made them. Is that far-fetched? Is that an impossible leap? How would we ever prove their existence?

    Now we have to move from our personal experience and “scientific” experience, to the only other means of knowing, namely, “history” and human witnesses. David Hume said that: “A wise man proportions his belief to the evidence.” What he may not have included in his evaluation of belief is proper evaluation of the providers of that evidence. For our specific subject matter we turn to the Bible, especially the New Testament. Two of the main writers were the Apostles Paul and Peter—and how did they end up? Beheaded or crucified, as witnesses to the resurrection of Jesus. On another occasion, over 500 people saw Jesus alive, after His crucifixion and resurrection. Imagine an interview room set up by investigators and a great auditorium filled with 500 people. One by one they all give the same report: “Jesus died on that cross; three days later I saw him alive!” Hume wanted massive evidence for miracles—here it is! The resurrection was massively proved in the first century. There is no need to “prove it again.” All that’s needed now is to believe the witnesses.

Thank You, our Father!

        A Christian friend was driving down a US highway, enjoying some gospel radio, when a song came on that thrilled his soul. He tried to join in, but could hardly croak out the notes. In frustration and sadness, he started to weep. Then, somehow, God gave him peace—He said, “Your tears are my praise!” 

        And his story satisfied my heart, because I, too, have wept for this lack. I tell people that my singing range is not one octave but one note—how mono-tonous! But song is not the only form of worship. In recent years my wife and I have joined churches that recite the Lord’s Prayer in unison—as the use of the plural “our Father” shows Jesus intended. We also recite the creeds and some prayers in unison—how refreshing for me to be able, at last, to add my voice to my brothers’ and sisters’. 

        Praise the Lord for some liturgy!