Morning Devotional

May 8, 2003

“Facts and Faith”

by Don Emmitte

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But when the end comes, these special gifts will all disappear. It's like this: When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child does. But when I grew up, I put away childish things. Now we see things imperfectly as in a poor mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God knows me now. (1 Corinthians 13:10-12 NLV). 

A friend once told me, "I am a skeptic; unless I have scientific evidence, I cannot believe in God." Then he started stating passages from the Bible that he could not scientifically comprehend. I must admit that he had many questions that could not be adequately answered with scientific accuracy or methods. I would often pale at the thought of these little debates, especially when asked about the dinosaurs! 

My only response was to get him to imagine another scene with little children running around their dad happily teasing him, "daddy! daddy!" They believe the man to be their father. They never ask, or even think of asking, for scientific proofs for their relationship to him. Even if their dad provides them with facts, their innocent, immature thinking would not grasp it. They may consider such facts to be nonsense. It is not until they grow up that they understand. 

It is in the same context that God has illuminated us with evidence of His existence. It is through His amazingly created nature, the design of the universe, and man, as well as through His care and love to every one of us demonstrated in countless ways if we care to notice them that we can recognize the proofs of God. When Jesus tried to enrich souls with spiritual facts about Heaven, miracles, and Life after death, infant physical minds could not comprehend His message. What is the easiest reaction? It is to consider such facts nonsense. One day when we "grow up" and our spiritual identity develops, we will declare such facts true - much the same as the little children do. It is wonderful to faithfully enjoy our relationship to God, delighting in His abundant love and care as children do. Science simply doesn’t tell the whole story of faith.  

A freshman at Eagle Rock Junior High won first prize at the greater Idaho Falls Science Fair, April 26, 1997. He was attempting to show how conditioned we have become to alarmists practicing junk science and spreading fear of everything in our environment. In his project he urged people to sign a petition demanding strict control or total elimination of the chemical “dihydrogen monoxide”. He listed the reasons as follows: it can cause excessive sweating and vomiting; it is a major component in acid rain; it can cause severe burns in its gaseous state; accidental inhalation can kill you; it decreases effectiveness of automobile brakes; and, it has been found in tumors of terminal cancer patients. He asked 50 people if they supported a ban of the chemical. Forty-three said yes, six were undecided, and only one knew that the chemical was H₂0 (water). The title of his prize-winning project was, "How Gullible Are We?" He feels the conclusion is obvious.  If you are struggling with the balance between faith and fact, trust your faith and be patient with your facts.