If You Just Believe

Like a backlit crystal ornament hung from an evergreen limb or a shaken snow globe, there’s something wondrous and even magical about the word “believe.”  Included in the soundtrack of the terrifically surreal though soothingly traditional CG film version of Van Allsburg’s classic, The Polar Express, is “Believe,” in which Josh Groban opines in support of Christmas:

               

Believe in what your heart is saying

Hear the melody that's playing

There's no time to waste

There's so much to celebrate

If you just believe

I was privileged over the Thanksgiving weekend to spend some time with my great-step-niece, Destiny (nicknamed “BG”), who declared at the wizened age of 10 that she no longer believes in Santa Claus.  While driving around town I subjected her sweet ears to the Christmas station as I am wont to do in this season to both unsuspecting and prepared passengers alike (yes, of course with my bold vocal accompaniment).  In doing so I was careful to tweak the lyrics to suit the need of the moment.  For example, The Boss’ (okay, that’s Springsteen for those of you west of Joisey) “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” now sounded a bit like this:

Santa Claus is coming to town

Ho! Ho! Ho!

But he won’t stop at BG’s ‘cause she doesn’t believe

Ho! Ho! Ho!

Hey… the kid thought it was funny.

Many of you who know me realize I’m not a proponent of the “believing makes it so” mentality.  Absolute truth is such regardless of who would believe or disbelieve (just ask any longsuffering Cubs fan and think Bartman 2003).  But whether I believe a thing determines my course of action.  And there is a component of belief that definitively impacts one’s capacity to appreciate, experience, and enjoy the object of belief.

Ultimately, belief is crucial when we consider our relationship with the God who came down to make Himself known among us.  John, the writer of the apologetic gospel whose distinctive message contends greatly that Jesus is God who came in the flesh, states in 1:18 that “as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name” (emphasis mine).

Wow.  Did you catch that?  Please don’t miss the precious jewel wrapped in golden foil and boxed in these two words, the right.  Under the tinsel-less tree called Calvary is the eternal gift of sonship, the right to inherit all the fullness of all that God the Father possesses, free to you, free to me, but costing Christ everything.  Go ahead, open it now!  It’s yours for the taking, if you just believe…

“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13.