The Truth is the Light
By Rev. Dr. Charles R. Watkins, Jr., Senior Columnist
Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” In this season of Advent, we have lit and re-lit candles of hope, peace, and love. We were excitedly awaiting the coming of the Messiah.
Jesus was born in Bethlehem, laid in a manger, and wrapped in swaddling clothes. Kings bore gifts and a Savior was born. God’s greatest gift to mankind is manifested on a cold December night and we who were among the waiting would not witness this beautiful sight with our natural eye. By faith, we believe. By faith, we trust. We are seeing through the eyes of faith.
I am convinced that many of us profess to be a Christian and live our lives strictly by what we see with our natural eyes. However, as Christians, we ought not to live our lives only by what we see. We ought not to live our lives only by what we feel. We ought to live our lives by faith.
The Bible says that the just walk by faith and not sight. We ought to live seeing through the eyes of faith. Hebrews 11:6 says, “And without faith it is impossible to please God, for whoever would approach him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”
If we keep walking by sight and not seeing through the eyes of faith, we’re always going to be depressed, down and out, and discouraged. We need to learn how to trust in the Lord. We may not be able to see what the Lord is doing in our lives but we have to learn how to trust Him. We have to learn to believe that God will keep his word. We’ve got to believe that God will eventually bring us out of whatever in which we find ourselves. We’ve got to learn to wait on the Lord.
I’ve learned to trust in God. I may not be able to see my deliverance. I may not be able to see my way out but I know my God can do what He said He’ll do. It was the Lord that woke me up this morning, put food on my table, placed clothes on my back, clothed me in my right mind, and gave me the activity of my limbs.
Regardless of what I see with my eyes, I’m going to trust God’s Word. He’ll heal my body. He’ll take care of whatever I ask of Him. His grace is sufficient for me. He’ll make my enemies my footstool. He’ll walk with me, talk with me, and tell me I am his own. I don’t care what it looks like on the outside, look through eyes of faith.
The Rev. Dr. Charles R. Watkins, Jr., is the pastor of Pine Grove AME Church in Columbia, South Carolina.
