Volume 33

When your faith just doesn’t seem to add up, take some lessons from one of the greatest mathematicians of the 19th Century.

Charles Babbage (1791-1871) was born into the family of a wealthy English banker and had a head for figures from a very early age. By the height of his career as a philosopher, inventor and numbers whizz, he headed the Department of Mathematics at Cambridge University, a position that has also been held by Isaac Newton, who discovered gravity, and — in our own time — by the brilliant Stephen Hawking.

Starting in 1822, Babbage designed a mechanical counting machine that could calculate highly complex math tables that were free from the human errors made by those who were paid to do such work — people known as “computers.” His device was the forerunner of today’s electronic processors, which is why Babbage is known as “the father of computing.”

But Babbage wasn’t just an academic geek. He took an interest in all aspects of life and threw himself into his investigations — sometimes literally. He once did an experiment in which he was baked in a specially-outfitted oven at 265 degrees Fahrenheit for “five or six minutes without any great discomfort.” He was lowered into Mt. Vesuvius so he could see the lava up close. He would even stop in the countryside and measure the heart rates of farm animals then jot down the results in his carefully-kept records.

An amateur theologian, Babbage once calculated the odds of a man rising from the dead at 1 in 10 with twelve zeros after it. But on a more practical level, the payoff for his hands-on personal investigation was a slew of inventions, including the speedometer, standardisedpostal rates, the ophthalmoscope — that tiny light the doctor uses to look in your eye — and the cowcatcher, the metal piece at the front of steam locomotives that swept obstacles off the tracks.

That’s not to say everything was rosy for Charles Babbage. In 1861, the 70-year-old said he’d never been happy a day in his life, and that he’d gladly give up the rest of his time on earth if he could live for just three days... 500 years in the future.

Even so, what makes the man worthy of our consideration was the way he sought to experience everything he wanted to understand. Never content to merely study things from afar, he got up close. In much the same way, those of us who truly want to know God can never do so through intellectual analysis alone. Cold, hard facts can point to evidence for his existence — the intricacies of the universe and the complexities of the human body, for example — but knowing about God and knowing him are two different things.

Yet, some who investigate spiritual matters are content to keep their distance, remaining aloof and emotionally detached. It’s safer that way. Though they study the Bible and find comfort and security in book, chapter and verse, they never allow a personal connection with Christ, either because they fear trust or commitment. They don’t want to get hurt. And they sure don’t want to get involved.

But true faith isn’t cold and calculating. It’s risky. It reaches out. It resonates in both the mind and the emotions. “I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in him,” says Paul. “May your roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvellous love. And may you have the power to understand... how wide, long, high and deep his love really is. May you experience the love of Christ... Then you’ll be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God.” (Eph. 3:17-19)

His will is for you “to grow and experience the joy of your faith” (Phil. 2:25.) We can “really know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead.” (Éph. 3:10)

At some point, we need to open ourselves to the touch of God’s Spirit, the power of his Word and the encouragement of his people. Against the odds, Jesus did rise from the dead and we can find peace and joy in that — both now and when our number is up.

By Rick Gamble. Published in Cross Current, the weekly newsletter of the followers of Christ congregation in Brantford, Ontario, Canada. Reprint at will in not-for-profit publications. To subscribe to this free weekly article, send a note to Rick at rgamble@bfree.on.ca