Hebrews 11:1-12
Have you ever been asked to do something that you don’t know how
to do? A teacher asks you to learn a new math formula. You need to
repair a plumbing problem. You take a new job that feels completely
foreign.
This last example is the premise of Ted Lasso, a wildly popular TV show about an American football coach who moves to London to lead a professional soccer team. “Taking on a challenge is a lot like riding a horse, isn’t it?” Ted says of his new task. “If you’re comfort- able while you’re doing it, you’re probably doing it wrong.”
This fictional, “aw shucks” character offers modern insight for
understanding faith. God calls us to take on challenges with a divine
assurance that our commitment to doing the right thing is the way
to the best life. For years I’ve thought of faith as a beacon in the
darkness. It may be just as much a safety net. We press on, knowing
God wants us to learn Christ-like skills of love and long-suffering
patience that demonstrate our faith.
Faith is far from simply accepting God’s message. The Christian
walk takes work. Author Flannery O’Connor, who produced her best
work while battling illness, saw faith as a constant process of seeking
understanding. “What people don’t realize is how much religion
costs. They think faith is a big electric blanket, when of course it is
the cross. It is much harder to believe than not to believe.”
While faith is a complex journey, it includes important stories of
those who come before us to inspire us on the way. And the next time
you feel like a stranger in a foreign land, consider that man in an
unfamiliar place, trying to coach a sport he doesn’t know by keeping
a sign with a single word above his office door: Believe.
Consider
What would you do if you knew you could not fail?
Pray
Dear God, forgive us for the many times we resist your call. When the way looks dark and lonely, embolden us with faith in your Word, the evidence we need to move us closer to your will each day. Amen.