Do You Believe Only What You See?

Recently, I saw this picture on Facebook. Richard Nixon was right, but it does not just apply to Americans, and certainly beyond the TV, it applies to all mankind. Most people won’t believe something until they see it for themselves. The most famous person in the Bible who is like that is probably Thomas, one of the twelve disciples. So famous that he is now known as doubting Thomas. When Jesus died and rose 3 days later, he appeared in His new body to His disciples, but the first time He appeared, it so happened Thomas was not around. So when the others told Thomas about it later, Thomas didn’t believe. He was even so bold as to claim, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” (John 20:25)

Recently, I gave birth and twice Jordan was hospitalized. The first time it was for jaundice and we stayed at the hospital for 3 days. That was bearable as jaundice was quite normal. But at 6 weeks, he started coughing badly and was later hospitalized for acute bronchiolitis. We stayed in the hospital for nearly 1 week. Everyday at the hospital I prayed for a miracle cure. Many people told me there babies get hospitalized and was discharged within a day. I saw many kids and babies come into the ward and most of them get discharged within 2-3 days. But I was still there until day 6. I believe God is a healer but during that time in the hospital, it was very hard to have faith and just believe when Jordan’s condition did not improve quickly. I wanted to SEE something happen miraculously on the spot, like suddenly the doctor telling me that he is completely recovered. But I did not get to see that. Instead I meditated on the Word in the Bible:

•Believe Jesus when He said that you “shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover” (Mark 16:18, KJV).
•Believe God when He said, “I am the Lord who heals you” (Exodus 15:26).
•Believe that Jesus “took up our infirmities and carried our diseases” (Matthew 8:17).

When I fully believed His words, I began to have the peace and stop being anxious. I began to look around and make friends in the ward, and managed to watch one mother’s child while she bathed, helped another mother set up a sofa bed so she can sleep. At the hospital, everything is DIY. Nobody will come and tell you where you can sleep or rest. So I saw most mothers who don’t dare to ask just sat on their chair all night, how suffering is that.

Recently my husband showed me this pic.

It looks normal until you turn it around. Actually all the eyes and mouth are upside down. I cannot understand that my eyes ‘cheated’ me as it looked normal but it is not. The same goes to any optical illusions. We can’t really trust what our eyes see. What we see may not be what it really is. Magicians use this weakness for their livelihood, they cheat our vision with their magic tricks. So how can we say we only believe what we see? Is it not better to have faith and believe God for who He say He is?

2 Corinthians 5:7(NIV)
7 For we live by faith, not by sight.

After realising this, this above verse came alive to me. Oh how silly of me to want to believe only what I see, when my vision is not even 20/20 perfect. Our sight can be easily disillusioned, but let no disillusion cover our hearts. Live by faith, believe in Jesus, that is what I will do today.