The Step of Faith

“…for we walk by faith, not by sight.”—2 Corinthians 5:7

Walking by sight is so much easier than walking by faith. I’m not sure if you’ve ever seen the movie Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, but there is a scene in the movie that wonderfully symbolizes what it means to walk by faith and not by sight. Indy has to acquire the Holy Grail, which is, if you remember, the cup that Jesus drank from during the Last Supper. The cup supposedly possesses healing powers that it gives to all who drink from it.

In a moment of desperation, Indy is forced to acquire the cup so that he might give it to his father who had just been shot by the chief antagonist in the film and was dying. He has to pass through a series of tests before he is able to acquire the cup. He makes his way through the first two tests successfully, but it is the third test that demonstrates our principle for today. Indy has to take a leap from what is known as the lion’s head. Upon arriving at the lion’s head, Indy notices that there is a precipitous and impassable chasm between him and the other side with no bridge to cross. He reads from the book that possesses the clues necessary to pass through it successfully, “Only in the leap from the lion’s head will he prove his worth.” He said to himself, “Impossible. Nobody can jump this.” Knowing his father was near death, he reasons, “It’s a leap of faith.” He puts his hand over his chest, closes his eyes, takes a deep breath, lifts his foot, and leans forward to step out, with his foot falling on an invisible bridge. It is a great scene in the film and one that accurately represents what we as believers are called to do. He had to take a step of faith in order to acquire the Holy Grail, and it wasn’t until he took the step, which went against his natural sight, that he found the footing necessary to walk across.

Walking by faith is not easy, because faith takes steps that sight wouldn’t ever take. Faith sees the opportunity while sight sees the obstacles. Faith looks at the potential while sight looks at the problems.

Sight is the easy way of living life, but walking by sight is not rewarded. It is only the step of faith that God honors, because it alone makes human reasoning submissive to divine revelation. Revelation is that which God has revealed of Himself through His word. Reason is good provided that it works with revelation, but reason is bad when it trumps God’s revelation.

God desires that we walk by faith, not by sight, because walking by faith is trusting in God alone. It is a way of showing that God is unseen, but He is real, and that there is something greater than that which we can see with our eyes.

Where is your faith? Are you walking by faith or by sight? Can God be seen in your step of faith? Are you trusting in Him alone? And does your life accurately display that trust? That’s what walking by faith does. It shows the reality of our relationship in actions the world deems incomprehensible.

May God enable us to walk by faith and not by sight for His glory. And may each step of faith show the reality of His presence so that those who are lost may see Him and be drawn accordingly to the praise of His great and awesome name. Amen.