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The Unseen World

I believe that there is an Unseen World, a world of another dimension that exists concurrently with our own.  Throughout the ages, the mystics and saints have caught a glimpse of it.  We cannot apprehend that world through our senses, nor comprehend it with our reason.  It’s only God’s revelation that makes it accessible to us.  

 

The Apostle Paul wrote, “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.  For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18 NIV)

 

There are a host of other scripture passages that express that same thought.  The prophet Isaiah wrote, “Truly you are a God who hides himself, O God and Savior of Israel.”  (Isaiah 45:15 NIV)  And another prophet, Jeremiah, wrote, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.  I will be found by you.”  (Jeremiah 29:13 – 14a NIV)   So our relationship with this invisible God is not meant to be a game of hide-and-seek.  The Lord wants a relationship with us.

 

St. Paul again wrote, “We live by faith, not by sight.”  (2 Corinthians 5:7 NIV)  and “Now to the King, eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever.” (1 Timothy 1:17 NIV)

 

The author of Hebrews made these observations:  “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”  (Hebrews 11:1 NIV)  “By faith {Moses} left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger;  he persevered because he  saw him who is invisible.” (Hebrews 11:27 NIV)  We are invited to see God through the eyes of faith. 

 

There are some hymns which catch sight of this mystery.  One, by Walter Chalmers Smith, includes these verses: 

"Immortal, invisible, God only wise, In light inaccessible, hid from our eyes. Most blessed, most glorious, the ancient of Days, Almighty, victorious -- Thy great name we praise!
"Great Father of glory, pure Father of light, Thine angels adore thee, all veiling their sight; All praise we would render: O help us to see 'tis only the splendor of light hideth thee!"

Walter Chalmers Smith

A hymn by George Croly says:

"I ask no dream, no prophet ecstasies, No sudden rending of the veil of clay, No angel visitant, no opening skies; But take the dimness of my soul away."

George Croly

 

                                    

 

Finally, I discovered the following words of wisdom written by men much wiser than I.  Albert Einstein famously wrote “To know that what is impenetrable to us really exists, manifesting itself to us as the highest wisdom and the most radiant beauty which our dull faculties can comprehend only in their most primitive forms — this knowledge, this feeling is at the center of all true religiousness.”

 

Antoine de Saint-Exupery wrote in “The Little Prince”, “One sees clearly only with the heart; what is essential is invisible to the eye.”   And we are right back to St. Paul in 2 Corinthian 4:16-18.

 

Finally, the great church father, St. Augustine, shared this profound insight:  “Faith is believing what you do not see, and the reward of faith is seeing what you believe.”  Amen

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Shine Like the Stars

Available for Pre-Order.  Each of us has been given a gift: our life. Someday we must return it to its rightful owner. We are free to use this gift in any way we choose: to glorify God or to glorify ourself. St. Paul used his to glorify God and, in so doing, found the secret of joy. decided to write a devotional commentary on his letter to the fledgling Christian community in Philippi. They too were discovering the secret of genuine joy. I am hoping that the same faith which dazzled them will do the same for you, and that the same joy which filled their hearts will fill yours. Get ready to shine like stars.

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