Henry Wadsworth Longfellow once observed, “The sky is filled with stars, invisible by day.”[1]
We know that the sky is full of stars, but our ability to see them depends on certain factors such as the darkness of the sky and the brightness of the moon.
A few years ago, I was with a group of people far away from city lights. The stars were exquisite that night and it seemed like there were thousands dotting the sky. One of the members of our group took a picture to try to capture the beauty of the moment. When we looked at the image, we were stunned. Not only could we see the thousands of stars we were previously looking at, but we could now see tens of thousands more! The lens of the camera had revealed to us a multitude of additional stars that were always there but previously unseen.
The book of Hebrews teaches that “faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”[2] “In other words, faith is the assurance of the existence of a truth even though it is not evident or cannot be proved.”[3]
Some would contend that seeing is believing. But through faith in God, we learn that believing leads to seeing. Faith is always required before the miracle.[4] Choosing first to believe builds a hope within us that then helps us act on opportunities to exercise our faith. As we exercise faith, God’s Spirit confirms the truth to our hearts of things that we may not yet be able to see, but that are real.
This is how many people can say, “I know that God lives and that He knows me.” Our knowledge comes from knowing what we feel in our hearts, the spiritual confirmation of truth that we have previously received, and from seeing the results, the fruits of our faith. In this way, we can know God is real, even without seeing Him.
Choosing first to believe enables us to feel within our hearts divine truths that our eyes cannot see—spiritual stars, if you will, that have always been there but were previously unseen. “For we walk by faith, not by sight.”[5]
[1] Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, “Morituri Salutamus: Poem for the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Class of 1825 in Bowdoin College,” poetryfoundation.org.
[2] Hebrews 11:1.
[3] Howard W. Hunter, “Faith—The First Step,” Ensign, May 1975, 38.
[4] See Doctrine and Covenants 63:9.
[5] 2 Corinthians 5:7
March 23, 2025
Broadcast Number 4,984
The Tabernacle Choir
Orchestra at Temple Square
Performers: BUY-Idaho Collegiate Singers – Randall Kempton
Conductor
Mack Wilberg
Organist
Andrew Unsworth
Host
Derrick Porter
I Think the World Is Glorious
Alexander Schreiner; Arr. Mack Wilberg
If the Savior Stood Beside Me
Sally DeFord; Arr. Sam Cardon
Give Glory to His Honored Name, from Athalia
George Frideric Handel
I Sing the Mighty Power of God
English melody; Arr. Mack Wilberg
My Shepherd Will Supply My Need
American folk hymn; Arr. Dale Wood
Hold On!
Traditional spiritual; arr. Moses Hogan
I Believe
Ēriks Ešenvalds
O Come Ye Nations of the Earth
German hymn tune; Arr. Mack Wilberg