Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain ofwhat we do not see. ~Hebrews 11:1

For we live by faith, not sight. ~2 Corinthians 5:7

Are the cicadas out at your house? They’re at mine, in fullforce. 

Here at the church in the little wooded section adjacent to my office there is a low but very strong whistling sound all day and night.  Pastor Paul with his flair for science fiction was convinced that it was a cloaked flying saucer, but upon investigation it turned out to just be a chorus of cicadas in the trees.  

Last night Justin and I started our cicada shell collection in an empty milk jug.  After picking the shells off the trees in our backyard we came into the house shaking the partially filled container.  

“Ewwww… get those bugs out of my house!” Pam emphatically stated.

“Well, technically they are not bugs, they’re just shells….”I began to explain.

“Amanda?” My wife appealed to my 14 year old daughter,cutting me off mid-sentence.

“They’re bugs, dad.” She said with a roll of her eyes. 

So Justin and I lost that one and our shell collection remains out on the back porch. 

Although there are many types of cicadas in our area, this variety is particularly amazing because it has a 17-year life cycle. For 17 years the insects live unseen and undetected, beneath our feet at a depth of up to 1 foot, feeding on the sap of tree roots. Then after proceeding through 5 different stages of development they burst onto the scene en mass, billions of them, to live as adults for four to six weeks.  They noisily fly around, sing, eat, lay eggs and then the cicadas die off. The eggs hatch and the nymphs burrow underground to start the life cycle all over again.  

As we collected our shells, Justin and I talked.  The last time this group emerged was in 1996- years before Justin was even born.  The next time we will see them will be 2030 when Justin will be 27 years old and I’ll be… I’ll be… well, let’s not go into that. The cicadas will be alive and well, but completely unseen for another 17 years.  Amazing.

I see a great faith lesson in all of this.  So much of the Christian life is tied up with what we cannot see.  We believe in an all-powerful unseen God and a universe created at his command. But I did not see it. We believe that through repentance and faith our sins are forgiven and our souls are secure; but I never received my contract in writing. We believe in an indwelling and empowering Holy Spirit, who leads and guides, but I for one have yet to hear the audible voice of God. We believe in a kingdom that God established and Jesus taught about, that is hidden, not of this world, yet real. We believe it is more powerful and more lasting than any system of this world and we order our lives around its values- even though it runs contrary to the values of the majority of people around us. All of this is based on what we cannot see, on that which is hidden, concealed; underground, if you will. It can only be perceived through faith. Sometimes life feels like a cicada lifecycle and I’m stuck in year 14.

One day, however, everything will be made clear.  Faith will become sight. The kingdom of God will burst forth and a new day will dawn. We will see the hands and feet of our Savior and hear the voice of our Father saying “Well done.”  Wrongs will be righted and there will be a great and joyful reunion. All of life and history is aligning for that Great Day.  And we will be glad, so glad that we walked by faith; that we believed and lived like it was true.    

If a cicada can wait its whole lifetime I guess I can too.