Surrounded by the natural, the explainable, and the obvious, even the Christian may fail to appreciate that the God in whom he trusts is supernatural, that his Son is the supernatural Saviour and that the Holy Spirit is supernatural in his being, presence and power.
But such is the case and the more we realize this fact the greater our comfort, hope, and usefulness as Christians.
There is not a moment of our lives that we do not, consciously or unconsciously, exercise faith-in a person, an object or a law. This is based on our confidence in and experience with the person or situation before us. We sit in a chair because we believe it will bear our weight. We ride in an elevator because we believe it is constructed and maintained to carry people safely from one floor to another. We ride in an automobile because we have confidence that it can take us to our destination.
In fact, every phase of our daily lives is predicated on faith. That these objects of our confidence are real and generally trustworthy is an unending source of comfort and satisfaction. Remove such confidence and life becomes a nightmare.
But for the Christian there exists a greater source of confidence, inexhaustible in its help, comfort and blessing. Our confidence is in God and all that implies. David in Psalm 40:4 says: “Blessed is that man that maketh the Lord his trust …” It is God, the sovereign, omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent God—the one who is loving, kind and gracious—in whom we can trust.
How can natural man discover the fact of the supernatural and act thereon? Only by the Spirit of the living God can these things assume their proper relationship in our lives and this comes through an act of faith alone.
David, a “man after God’s own heart,” a sinner transformed to saint through a penitent and believing heart, wrote these words in his later years: “For thou art my hope, O Lord God: thou art my trust from my youth” (Ps. 71:5).
Such confidence is needed today, and it comes to those who turn in faith to the One who is altogether trustworthy.
“Trust” is a wonderful word. It carries with it the connotation of “refuge”—a place of safety, peace and calm in the midst of stress and danger.
Has there ever lived a generation more needy in this respect? We see a world in chaos, directed in large measure by men who leave God out of their reckoning. We see scientific achievements which stagger the imagination, along with moral and spiritual poverty even more staggering in its effect on the world.
We look at the waves of uncertainty and hear the winds of perversity and are prone to forget that God is still sovereign and that those who put their trust in him will never be ashamed.
All are aware of the natural world in which we live and the natural phenomena by which we are surrounded, and we regard these as determinative and final. What a tragic mistake! Our hope is in the supernatural One and we are indwelt by and surrounded by his supernatural presence.
The writer of Proverbs 28:5 places the world and the divine order in their proper perspectives: “Evil men understand not judgment: but they that seek the LORD understand all things.” This does not claim omnipotence for the Christian but it does proclaim the omnipotence of his God and his willingness to guide those who put their trust in him.
One of the characteristics of our times is the fear of man. We are fearful what politicians may do to our own land. We fear what the Communists are doing around the world. We fear any number of man-made sources of unrest and uncertainty. But the Bible tells us: “The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe” (Prov. 29:25).
Unregenerate man is always a potential menace for he is actuated by motives independent of godly control. Fear of what he may do, or has already done, is a constant source of personal and world unrest.
But this should not affect the Christian, so far as tranquility of mind is concerned. He must look beyond natural, unregenerate man, to the supernatural God and his power to save, guide and keep.
Our Lord gives us the true perspective in these words: “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both the soul and body in hell” (Matt. 10:28).
While we are dealing with God who is supernatural, we are also surrounded by the machination of Satan who is also supernatural in his presence and power, although limited by God’s decree.
The supernatural forces of evil make imperative for us the presence of the Spirit of God in our hearts, supernatural in being and power, who can transform us into the likeness of Christ, while protecting us from evil.
To deny the supernatural is folly; to underestimate its place in our lives is to be unrealistic; to step out in faith in God and all of his promises is not only our privilege, it is our duty.
Belief in God’s supernaturalness is an essential part of the Christian faith. From such belief proceeds those practical benefits without which Christianity has no essential reality.
No man has seen God at any time. His Son came into this world and died centuries ago. The Holy Spirit is real but he is invisible. Only by faith do we see God revealed in Christ. Only by faith do we accept his Son. Only by faith do we sense the presence of his Spirit.
But lack of material evidence in no way invalidates the reality of God. He who is a Spirit must be worshiped in spirit and in truth. This remains outside the realm of what the world calls natural.
Paul expresses the thought in these words: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (Eph. 1:3). It is obvious that we are dealing with those supernatural realities which proceed from faith, supernatural in their origin while often most tangible in their results.
The prophet Isaiah clearly shows the difference between those who walk in the light of the supernatural God and those who walk merely by human sight: “Who is among you that feareth the LORD, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the LORD, and stay upon his God.” And then the contrast: “Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks: walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks that ye have kindled. This shall ye have of mine hand; ye shall lie down in sorrow” (Isa. 50:10, 11).
Failure to walk by faith in the light of God’s supernatural being and presence brings sorrow, frustration and confusion.
But for those who by faith live in the conscious presence of the eternal God there is peace of heart and purpose of living.
