Childlike Obedience of Faith

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6

In a world that values knowledge and understanding above all else, embracing absolute obedience to God when it defies intellectual comprehension is a challenge. This morning’s bible passage illuminates the profound implications of trusting God wholeheartedly, regardless of our ability to fully grasp His ways or the mysteries of His Word. Just like we don’t need to fully understand how air conditioning works to enjoy its benefits, we don’t necessarily need to understand every aspect of something before we can appreciate it or believe in it.

In life, there are many things that we accept and enjoy without complete comprehension. Similarly, faith can involve trusting in something even when we don’t have all the answers. Do you have to understand all about everything before you believe it? Most of us say, “I must understand it or I will never believe it.”

At its core, faith does not require complete understanding; rather, it beckons us to surrender our need for certainty and control and to trust in the wisdom and sovereignty of God. Like a child who trusts a loving parent implicitly, we’re called to obey God’s commands without reservation, even when they seem counterintuitive or beyond our comprehension.

The Bible is meant to be our guide for practical living. It provides wisdom and guidance for every aspect of our lives, from our relationships to our daily decisions. By approaching the Bible with a desire to understand and apply its teachings in our everyday lives, we can truly hear and experience the Word of God speaking to us. But it’s essential to strike a balance between spiritual understanding and practical application to fully benefit from the wisdom found in scripture. Sometimes, we don’t need to understand everything intellectually; instead, we can simply trust and obey God’s Word. Augustine of Hippo says, “I believe so I can understand”

Consider the remarkable story of Paul and Silas in jail (Acts 16:25-34). Rather than despairing over their circumstances, they chose to praise God. Their act of obedience and faith led to a supernatural intervention, shaking the very foundations of the prison and ultimately bringing salvation to their jailer. Similarly, the account of the Israelites marching around the walls of Jericho (Joshua 6:1-21) serves as a vivid illustration of the rewards of faithful obedience. Despite the seeming absurdity of the command, they followed God’s instructions faithfully, and the walls came tumbling down, ushering in victory and the fulfillment of God’s promises.

The main difference between science and Christianity is this: in science, we must experience to believe; in Christianity, we must believe to experience. Many people want to make faith a science, and the simplicity of the Word turns it into scientific data. They try to figure out what parts of the Bible are true. Scientifically, we can never understand the entire Bible. It will never, ever work. In Christianity, believing precedes experiencing, and trusting in God’s Word allows us to encounter His power and presence in our lives.

Sometimes we can get caught up in trying to understand every aspect of God and His Word intellectually before we’re willing to believe or experience it. This can lead to missing out on the richness of spiritual experiences and the depth of a relationship with God. Embracing the simplicity of faith and trusting in the entirety of God’s Word can open us up to a deeper understanding and experience of His presence and power in our lives.

I often wondered why it was so difficult for us to relinquish our need for intellectual understanding and simply trust God. Perhaps it’s because we’re conditioned to value rationality and logic above all else, or because we fear relinquishing control. As our text revealed, true freedom and fulfillment are found in surrendering to the loving guidance of our Heavenly Father.

Kay Alli