"What are you going to do...?"

"Faith, hope, and love; these three remain..." ~1 Corinthians 13



We've barely begun this semester, and we've already delved into the world of faith. (I'm sure hope and love will soon follow. :) The way I blog is as follows: I wait a couple of days after class, I pull out my binder, I look at my notes, and I find the thing that immediately strikes me from the page. This week, the first word that grabbed me was faith. Voltaire's definition in his Dictionary of faith is: "saying that one believes what is impossible to believe is lying." Voltaire calls faith a lie. And I believe that Voltaire is lying.

Every person on the face of this universe has faith, whether they claim to or not. One can have faith in their reason, or one can have faith when they face the limits of reason. Both reason and faith have one purpose: to explain, to give an answer, to be able to put one's trust in something...or Someone. Scientists study for answers to the patterns of the universe, historians search for answers to the lives of humans, philosophers seek out answers to the questions of the soul. We're all looking for explanations...but what makes us different is how we accept those answers. Through faith, or through reason, or through both...

Which leads me to believe that reason is indeed moved by faith, and faith is strengthened by reason. Whatever conclusion one chooses to accept through reason, his faith is being poured into his knowing that what he believes is true. Whatever one chooses to accept through faith is supported by everything he knows to be true through reason. Reason is a gift that GOD has given us; it distinguishes us from all other creatures. Faith is also a gift - a chance to have a relationship with the incomprehensible Creator. Reason is an opportunity to have faith. It directs where our faith lies. Faith is the end result of reason. It is the opportunity to keep living when reason can go no farther. Reason is the path to faith. Faith is the completion of reason.

Thursday, Dr. Biskner asked a question that greatly challenged me: "What are you going to do when reason demands you believe something that's impossible?" I have found my answer. I'm going to believe. I'm going to "walk by faith." I guess Voltaire would just have to live a lie, because faith is the only answer.