SEEING THE INVISIBLE by Vicki Taylor

One morning in staff meeting, the pastor read an article that got me to thinking about the “what ifs” of life. He used as the illustration, “What if the Israelites only went around Jericho six times?” How different the story would have ended! Actually, it got us all to thinking. What if I had not married my husband, but married someone else? I would not have my sons or the grandchildren that I have. What if I had chosen a different profession? I would not have served in ministry all these years. How different my life would be. What if … well, you get the picture by now.  

Let’s take it a step further. What if whilst in the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus decided to pass the cup instead of accepting it? What if He had changed His mind? Where would we be today? Scary thought isn’t it?  

What’s it like to see with eyes of faith, past the visible to the invisible? Moses was able to see that - “He persevered because he saw Him who is invisible…” Hebrews 11:27. He chose not to be identified as the Pharaoh’s daughter’s son, but to be mistreated along with God’s people. By faith he led them out of Egypt, across the red sea, then across the wilderness, and to the promise land, because he saw Him who is invisible. 

And let’s not forget Abraham’s faith. Could you be tested by God and haul yourself and your firstborn son up a mountain only to sacrifice him to your Lord? I don’t think so. He saw Him who is invisible … and by faith, chose to believe He would provide the sacrifice. Which He did by the way, a perfect sacrifice.

Then there’s Joseph. In everything he endured - sold by his brothers, enslaved by being falsely accused by his boss’s wife, imprisoned again, lifted up to the highest position in the land of Egypt. Then who shows up for assistance? His worthless brothers who sold him in the first place. Talk about family dysfunction!!!!  But because he saw Him who is invisible, he gave instructions about his bones and where to take them when the Israelites would leave Egypt. Now that’s faith, because they were not even slaves yet. 

Then there is Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross … He took that cup because He could see beyond the cross to the joy set before Him.  He saw the invisible! He saw His Heavenly Father and knew He was saving Him a seat beside Him in glory. I cannot even imagine, can you? Think about this … He rode in on a donkey one day as the King of Kings, and a week later, He went out carrying the cross of a criminal. Beaten and spilled out for us. All because He could see the invisible.

I don’t know about you, but I want to see deeper, know deeper, thank deeper, and feel joy deeper. How I see is how I live by faith… because it’s faith that helps me see. Faith is the gaze of the soul upon a saving God.  It’s faith that gets us through the difficult times. It helps us persevere. It’s what makes us persevere through life … to see Him who is invisible. Life is full of “what ifs,” but it’s our faith in the Lord that determines the outcome. I’m going deeper. Want to join me?