I have faith. Faith in God, in His Son Jesus, and in the Holy Spirit. But if these three don’t truly exist, my faith is in vain. So, the question arises…can I know they exist? I mean…really know? Well, the Bible shares the story, from several perspectives, of the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus. If that story is true, then He is the reality of faith.

If there really was, and is, a man named Jesus…who was, and is, God…then what He did for all of mankind clearly shows He is the reality of faith. Just imagine God, who has always existed, taking on human flesh to truly experience what we experience. Now, go beyond that. God, who exists as one God in three distinct persons, had never known anything but perfect life. He had always experienced perfect communion in the Godhead as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. But He came to us and died for us and rose again for us.

I fully realize this is impossible for human brains to fully comprehend. But we can apprehend it even as we apprehend the petals of a rose…so delicate, soft, and delightfully scented…yet so incredibly resilient and potent.

Once God decided to create the universe, our solar system, Earth, and all of us creatures in it, He took a huge risk. And some would say it didn’t pay off for Him so well. He gave us our own will. We’re free to love Him. We’re not forced to love Him. And in order for us to be truly free to love Him…we must also be free to hate Him.

And billions do.

You think you’ve had it bad? Imagine never experiencing death and knowing you cannot be killed. Then imagine being willing to take on the form of those who hate you in order to take on the punishment they deserve. And that punishment is death.

For Jesus to be born, grow up and be killed on a cross, and then rise from the dead to show us what can look forward to if we choose Him…He must love us so much.

Is this a true story? Well, the Bible has stood the test of time and immense scrutiny for thousands of years. There were eyewitness accounts to the death and resurrection of Jesus. There’s an enormous amount of evidence that His story is true and that He really did take our punishment on Himself. And because He did that for me…He is the reality of faith for me. How about you? If this reality hasn’t found its way into your heart, while you still breathe, it’s not too late.

In Faith, Hope, and Love”