In Theory: Faith just can’t be ‘manufactured’

In the Bible, much is said about faith in the book of Hebrews, where the writer goes so far as to say, “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen,” a promise of God’s love and provision that defies worldly evidence. This faith is a reaching beyond belief to become an understanding of man’s spiritual unity with God. We can take it with us and claim it persistently in our daily activities.

The founder of Christian Science, Mary Baker Eddy, wrote, “Faith, advanced to spiritual understanding, is the evidence gained from Spirit [God], which rebukes sin of every kind and establishes the claims of God.” This points to a practical, prayerful understanding that God can and does care for us, and that no misadventure, grief, ignorance, evil, or even what looks like a failure can separate anyone from God’s goodness. And no sin (essentially an erroneous understanding of our relation to God) can negate this.

How can we maintain or increase our faith? Gratitude is one grand help in this. Ongoing gratitude helps not only ourselves, but also all of those for whom we recognize God’s nurturing presence. Paul gives good, related counsel in his letter the Romans, “I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, not things present, nor things to come …shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

The government of God, divine Love, is supreme over mankind and the universe. Understanding this is a faith that arms us for what we need to do each day, and is enriched through our gratitude.

 GRAHAM BOTHWELL is first reader at First Church of Christ, Scientist, in La Canada. Reach him at (818) 790-3493.

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