\mis-ˈtir-ē-əs\ having an import not apparent to the senses nor obvious to the intelligence (source); beyond ordinary understanding; exciting wonder, curiosity, or surprise while baffling efforts to comprehend or identify; stirred by or attracted to the inexplicable (source).

Have you ever had something happen to you that you could only describe as outside of the ordinary? Have you ever felt something so strongly that you were certain that it was real? Have you ever had a dream come true, literally?

Some call these things ESP (extrasensory perception); others call it deja vu; some call it weird. As a follower of Jesus, I believe in that which I do not see and we call this Faith. The truth of the matter is that we all have faith in something or someone.

If you do not think that we all have faith, then ask yourself how it is that scientists can teach theories with such confidence? This requires the scientist to believe that based on their tested experiments that their conclusion is the best possible explanation for what they have seen or witnessed. Sound familiar? They call this the scientific method. In other words, they have faith in their study of what they can see, touch, examine, test and retest within the physical realm. What happens when something exists outside of the physical realm? What do we do about that? Well, if it can’t be reproduced and tested then it is not science nor provable by science. So we must have faith that it is true.

Let me take this a bit deeper. Light exists. We all see because of light and we can study the properties and characteristics of light. We cannot measure darkness. We can only measure how much light is not present. This sounds silly, but it is true. Furthermore, light travels at the speed of light. Anything that travels at the speed of light is believed to exist outside of time. Meaning, if we travel at the speed of light time no longer has an affect on us. Mysterious, huh? Since no one has ever traveled at the speed of light, we must believe that this is true and that requires us to have faith in the best possible explanation based on what we have witnessed.

Paul, another guy covered in dust, journeyed to other countries to tell the people there about Jesus. He wrote letters to the Christ-followers that he left behind in the towns that he visited. In one letter, he tells these Jesus-believers that their enemy is not each other nor the government nor the liberals nor the conservatives nor Osama Bin Laden. No. He tells them that their enemy is not flesh and blood but something else. They are fighting an enemy that is unseen and that moves in direct opposition to God and Jesus. In fact, this enemy sometimes looks like something good but really isn’t. Now that’s tricky!

I can honestly tell you that I have seen the enemy’s forces with my own eyes. I have had dreams come true with exact clarity and precision. I have experienced situations that seem absolutely crazy to describe. I have experienced things in this life that science cannot explain but does that make you believe me? I can give you my theories and observations based on what I have witnessed but it first requires a small step of faith to believe that the unseen is real; to believe in the mysterious.

I love that about following Jesus! He leads me to places that I never imagined possible; a life full of intrigue, wonder and excitement. I don’t know about you but I need to have a God that is beyond what I can imagine; that is more that what I can explain. This reminds me of my son who is 21 months old. Every day he wakes up to new experiences and there are mysteries around every corner. His life is a non-stop joyride of adventure! So I am following Jesus because I believe that His way is the best possible way to live and I am listening for His voice to guide me to new, mysterious adventures.