Believing the Unseen - Martin Wiles

Then Elisha prayed, “O Lord, open his eyes and let him see!” The Lord opened the young man’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire. 2 Kings 6:17 NLT

I believe, even when I can’t or haven’t seen.

I’m not a germophobe. I don’t run for hand sanitizer every time I shake someone’s hands. Nor do I take a wipe and scrub the buggy handle before I place my hands on it. And I don’t think about all the germs I’m touching when I funnel through 103 middle schooler’s papers as I grade them. Thinking about all the germs I’m touching and what they might do to me would drive me batty. Although I have to admit, Covid 19 changed my practices a little.

On the other hand, if I could suddenly see what I can’t see with my naked eye, I might retreat into a shell and never leave the house. I do believe germs exist. Scientists tell me they do. And I have experienced the results of germs when my body’s immune system didn’t fight them off.

I also believe more stars exist than I can see when I investigate a nighttime sky that is unadulterated by city lights. My brother and I have done this from mountain peaks where the only light we saw was that shed by the moon and the stars. Yet, we knew the stars we saw did not comprise all the stars in our universe. Scientists who look with powerful telescopes have told us so.

Elisha’s servant couldn’t see everything either. The king of Aram waged war against God’s people, but every time he planned an attack, God told Elisha where the attack would occur. Elisha, in turn, told the king who would avoid the area where the king of Aram was.

The king of Aram thought a spy had infiltrated his ranks—until someone told him Elisha was the culprit. Discovering that Elisha was in Dothan, the king surrounded him. Elisha’s servant saw the king of Aram’s army, but he didn’t see the angels protecting him and Elisha until God opened his eyes.

I’ve never seen many things in the unseen world of spiritual things, but I believe they exist because God says they do. I can’t see forgiveness—it’s not tangible—but I’ve seen how wonderful life can be when people do it. And I believe God has done it for me.

Nor can I gaze upon grace. It, too, isn’t tangible, but I believe it lives. God is full of undeserved favor and extends it to all who ask. When He does, salvation takes place. Repentance. Forgiveness. Spiritual filling. New life.

Unless we believe in the unseen, we can never experience all God has in store for us.

Don’t miss God’s best for you by refusing to believe in the unseen. Even God falls into that category.

Prayer: Father, give us the faith to believe in all the unseen things You tell us exist. 

Tweetable: Are you trusting in what you cannot see?

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Permeated - Martin Wiles

And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Acts 1:8 NLT

Pshshshshshshsh. As the sound tickled my ears and the smell assaulted my nasal cavity, I knew the custodian was chasing germs away.

Disinfecting a school isn’t easy. Two weeks into the school year, and some students have already missed days due to allergies and sinus infections. As autumn and winter approach, we teachers know we have to hold the old devil flu at bay. So we disinfect and chase germs from our rooms.

When each day is over, I take out the Clorox wipes and wipe desks. I’ve listened to kids sneeze and watched them lay germy hands and contaminated Kleenexes on the desk surfaces. Occasionally, I, too, get out the can of Lysol and spray the entire room. It’s a tireless job, but I know doing this will lessen the chances of illness striking me and the children. As the disinfectants permeate our school, we trust it will kill harmful germs.

Jesus wanted permeation also—but not by germs that sicken and perhaps kill. He wanted permeation that gave life. So when His time on earth neared an end, He charged His followers with the task of permeating the world with the good news about the salvation He’d purchased on Calvary’s cross.

Just as our disinfectants permeate the school building, Jesus wants the message of His love and forgiveness to touch each person’s ears so they can have an opportunity to respond by faith. I don’t have to be a full-time missionary to obey His directives. Every believer is a missionary where they are. And the ways to spread the good news are myriad.

I have the privilege to spread the gospel every day as I teach middle schoolers. I also disseminate it with the press of a key or the click of a mouse as my devotions travel worldwide each day. Jesus gives all His followers daily opportunities to live out His love before others through our actions, attitudes, and words. All we have to do is ask Him to make us aware of the opportunities.

God wants the message of His love to spread and multiply like germs. He could charge the angels to spread it, but He chose us. Doing so isn’t difficult, and there aren’t any magic words we have to say. The message is simple: we’re sinners, God loves us, Christ paid for our sins, and we must believe in Him by faith.

Don’t keep God’s love inside. Spread it around.

Tweetable: Are you permeating your world with God's love?

Prayer: Father, give us the courage to spread the message of Your love to others. 

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