Faith as Trust by Archbishop Michael Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths. (Proverbs 3:5–6)
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believe; help my unbelief !” (Mark 9:24) For most of us this will remain our constant prayer, right up to the very moment we close our eyes to this world. Yet, in itself, this doubt does not signify a lack of faith. In fact, it may actually mean the opposite— that our faith is alive and striving and growing! For faith implies not complacency or apathy, but taking risks. Faith implies not shutting ourselves off from the unknown, but rather advancing boldly to meet the unknown, having God with us.
here is a huge difference between declaring one’s belief that something exists or happened and declaring belief in something or someone. In the Nicene Creed, we do not say, “I believe that there is a God,” but rather we affirm, “I believe in One God.” It is possible for me to believe that someone or something exists without that belief An Example from the Old Testament having any practical effect upon my life. The pages of the Bible provide us with two incrediSo, for instance, I can open up a telephone direc- ble examples of such a personal, living, and trusting tory and find the names and phone numbers of many faith. From the Old Testament, there is an account of a city’s residents. Thus, I am prepared to believe of unimaginable sacrifice that required incredible that these people (or at least most of them) actually faith—the story of Abraham and Isaac (Gen. 22). For do exist. But I don’t know any of them personally; I parents, this is perhaps the most gut-wrenching story have never visited them, and my belief that they exist in all of Scripture. It is difficult to comprehend the has no effect whatsoever in my life. faith it would take to offer the life of our own child On the other hand, when I say to a much-beloved to God. And yet, this is precisely what Abraham was family member or friend, “I believe in you,” I am ex- prepared to do, in obedience, with his own son Isaac. pressing far more than the notion that this person The tension in this passage is excruciating—especially exists. “I believe in you” means that I turn to that when Isaac realizes that something is wrong, and he person, I rely upon that individual, I put my full trust asks his father: “The fire and the wood are here, but in that person, I hope in that individual. This is pre- where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” cisely what we are saying to God when we recite the Abraham, having nothing other than real trust in Creed. the character and goodness of God, replied: “God Faith in God is not the conclusion of our reason- Himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, ing or the certainty of our logic. To believe in God is my son.” After journeying to the top of Mount Moriah, not to accept the possibility of His existence, because Abraham placed his bound son upon the altar and it has been “proven” to us by some argument, but it is raised his knife. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord cried to put our trust in the One Whom we know and love. out from Heaven, “Abraham! Abraham! Do not lay a Faith is not the reasoned conclusion that something hand on the boy!” Abraham looked up to see a ram might be true; it is the assurance that Someone is caught in a thicket. God had indeed provided the there. sacrifice, and Isaac was set free to new life. Abraham’s trust in God is the greatest example of A Personal Relationship faith in the Old Testament, one which came at the This means that faith is not a logical certainty but a cost of unimaginable emotional pain and suffering. personal relationship. Because this personal relation- But it is also one of the clearest pictures we have of ship is as yet incomplete in each of us and needs to the Gospel message from the pages of the Covenant continually develop further, it is very possible for our of old: A loving father who was willing to sacrifice faith to co-exist with our doubt. There are some of us his one and only son… only to have this son returned who, by God’s grace, retain throughout their lifetime to him alive! the faith of a child. As such, they are able to accept all that they have been taught without question. My The Example from the New Testament dear grandmother was like that. But for most of us Along with this stirring story, there are other accounts who live in our western, technological world, such an from the Old Testament that reflect faith as trust in attitude is hardly possible. We have to make our own God, such as the parting of the Red Sea, the collapse the cry of the father in the Gospel account: “Lord, I of the walls of Jericho, and the three youths in the
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