Infrared Light and Faith
I sat out by the campfire, pondering light and life. There was so much more going on in the fire than I could see. I could see the flames because they emit visible light. I could see, taste and smell smoke because it hung in the air. I could feel the warmth from the flames.
I couldn’t see the wood gases that were actually burning. I couldn’t see the wood turning into charcoal. I couldn’t see the infrared (IR) energy being emitted because it lies outside the visible spectrum. If I had a thermal camera, I might have seen the IR waves.
IR light isn’t visible to us, but it surrounds us. Everything above absolute zero emits some level of infrared radiation. Even though we can’t see it, it’s reflected off trees and other surfaces and impacts us. A little can warm us and increase blood flow. It can be used in some forms of physiotherapy. Too much IR can cause burns, heat rash and even eye damage.
Just as IR has an impact even though we cannot see it, God is working in ways invisible to us. His presence may be hidden, but He still provides for us, reaches out to us and is working in our lives.
There is nothing anywhere in the created universe that does not owe its beginning and continued existence to God’s power and presence. If He withdrew His presence for even a split second, everything would collapse and disappear.
Fortunately, we don’t have to physically see Him for Him to work in our lives. We have the Scriptures and their testimony. We have the Holy Spirit (if we are believers), or He calls us (if we are non-believers).
For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For indeed in this we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven, inasmuch as we, having put it on, will not be found naked. For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life. Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge. Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord— for we walk by faith, not by sight— 2 Corinthians 5:1-7
What a marvelous gift, to be given the faith to walk even when we cannot see the way of the hands that guide us.
Maybe you’ve never considered faith as a gift, but Ephesians 2:8-9 makes it clear. We are saved and guided by faith, and all of that is a love gift from our Heavenly Father.
Praise His holy and generous name.
Be blessed,
Kevin
SUMMARY
I sat by a campfire and realized how much was happening that I couldn’t see: burning gases, wood turning to charcoal, infrared energy radiating outward. It struck me that God works the same way, present and active even when His hands are hidden from our sight.
TAKEAWAY
Everything above absolute zero emits infrared radiation, invisible yet powerfully real in its effects
God’s presence sustains all creation even when it isn’t visible to us
2 Corinthians 5:1-7 and Ephesians 2:8-9 remind us that faith, not sight, is how we’re meant to walk