“Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.” – Martin Luther King Jr.
God is Spirit
Jesus told the Samaritan woman at the well that “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:24), just like “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit” (John 3:8). Even though God is spirit and we cannot see Him, we know that He exists, so we take steps of faith every day when we pray to a God we’ve never seen.
Steps of Faith
Sometimes I have to get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, and most of the time I know the way. I know by heart where the coffee table is, but sometimes my chin reminds me about where it is, so even in this world we don’t always walk by sight. We travel over bridges even though we’ve never met the engineer or inspected the bridge. We assume it’s safe because we have faith in the bridge builder, but God is infinitely more trustworthy, and so we can walk in the dark valleys of life and still know that He’s right there with us, every step of the way.
The First Step
Years ago, when I went into the ministry, I actually tried to avoid it. I was fearful of taking that first step in what I knew God wanted me to do, but taking a first step on ground you’ve never walked on before is a bit scary. Eventually I took the first step and immediately felt God’s pleasure, so we don’t always have to wait for just the right moment to take that first step of faith. We might have to take that first step even when we don’t see where our foot’s going to land. It’s called faith.
Conclusion - Faith in the unseen
The first step is the hardest, but it is also the most rewarding, because when you step out on faith, you tell God, “I trust You,” and He is very pleased with that. We know that God is spirit, and that He wants us to believe in Him even though we’ve never seen Him, and even in the darkest of nights, if we take that first step, the next step will be a bit easier, even if we don’t see the staircase. Faith in the unseen.
by Jack Wellman
A Morning Prayer
Dear God,
We praise you today with our hearts and songs, we praise you for your faithfulness, we praise you for your great power and love. We confess our need for you; our lives don't go so well when we just spin around on our own. We struggle and worry, get weary and worn. Yet you never leave us. Thank you for your presence. Thank you for your care over us, thank you that you breathe renewal right into our souls. We ask for your spirit to fill us, to draw us close to yourself, and to work your purposes through us, as we set our eyes on you.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen.
“Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul. Rescue me from my enemies Oh lord, for I hide myself in you. Teach me to do your will, for you are my God, may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.” (Psalm 143:8-10)
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