Read the transcript from today's video devotional.
What would you say if I told you the sun isn't real? That it's just an illusion? At first you may think, you're crazy. What if I actually started using very scientific words and said, "It's a distant star, and it's actually refraction from space gas. It's actually giving us an illusion that the sun is what it is"?
Still, you would push back and you would say that I'm crazy for even thinking that. Why? Because you flew out into space and actually observed it for yourself and made sure it was there, or you researched and dug in deeply to make sure that the sun and the scientific proof was there—to know that the sun is the sun, and it actually is real.
Your Personal Observations
You'd think that would be just crazy. Part of it would be because you can easily default to your own personal observations, your own personal experience. I, for one, can personally attest the sun is real, especially when I sit out in it for a little while, and I walk in—and wherever the direction the sun is—I am burnt to a crisp if I've been out in it for a long time.
I'm sure we can all have personal experience of actually what that is. We know for sure it is real and it does exist, and we don't need to dig in scientifically to prove that.
The Shasta Caverns Story
One other thing I'd just love to quickly share before we get into the verse is, years ago, we went on a tour in the Shasta Caverns in California.
It was interesting because, as we all gathered around and were taking the tour, the tour guide mentioned that the stalactites hanging down from the ceiling actually grow one inch every million years.
Well, the interesting thing about that is: as we turn as a group and collectively start walking up the stairway to leave the cavern, I noticed there was a hand railing coming down on the edge of the stairway going up. Guess what had grown over the stair railing? It was actually the same stalactite-type material that was just stated that grows one inch every million years.
I looked at it and thought, wow, this hand railing is really, really old.
Observable Facts vs. What We're Told
It's interesting because sometimes when there are things portrayed as scientific evidence or scientific statements, and there could be grandiose words used, sometimes we allow ourselves to let go of observable facts and we somehow receive what other people are saying.
That's the power behind this verse today in Colossians chapter 2, verse 8. This is what it says: "Don't let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ."
The Science vs. Religion Divide
We have been told so often that religion and science do not intermix. The beauty of what this is saying is, there are human thoughts and human things that may sound lofty, but it actually isn't from Christ.
What do we deem that to be—coming from Christ as spiritual? A lot of people deem it to be just religion. You have the human mentality saying that this is more science. Even in this verse, some people would say it's this tug of war between science and religion.
It's All Spiritual
Actually, that's the beauty behind this verse and the power of it. Because what this is saying is: it is actually all spiritual. Catch that—the last part, the middle part of the verse—where it says "high-sounding nonsense that comes from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world." It is all spiritual. It's really important to understand that it's ultimately coming from spiritual powers, no matter where it's coming from.
Trust Your Personal Experience
It's really important for us not to let go of understanding that when things sound really good, that doesn't necessarily negate what we already know to be true. When I said the sun isn't actually real and it doesn't exist the way we think it does, you can instantly dig into your personal experience of knowing it's true.
The Woman at the Well
The woman at the well—she didn't know all of the religious things to talk about and to say about Jesus that she just met. She turned around and ran back to her city and proclaimed the truth of Jesus. Not because she knew all the answers. Not because she knew all this high-sounding theology or doctrine. It's because she knew she just met Jesus. She just met her Savior. It completely changed her life. All she knew to say when she went back to her city was, "I just met a man that knew everything about me, and it completely changed my life."
She changed the city and brought almost an entire city to Jesus, and it wasn't because of high-sounding, rational thoughts.
My Challenge to You
I just encourage you, as you have different things come along that seem to be factual, that seem to be based in science and other things—I'm not saying negate science. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen.
What I am saying is, when doubts come along, a lot of times we unfortunately allow it to depart from our faith instead of dig deeper into our faith.
If there's any challenge I have for you today: no matter what comes along, what you have with Jesus should go deeper than just knowledge. Just like the sun being in the sky—you know from experience. You have experienced a relationship with Jesus that you undoubtedly can rely on.
Doubts Don't Have to Mean Departure
When doubts come, they're not bad. But don't let them cause you to depart from your faith. Instead, dig deeper into your faith.
May this verse really impact you—to take you deeper into your faith and into your walk with Christ today.
