JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Exploration, today’s Reason to Believe is the dove.

This bird is a powerful symbol of the Christian faith in various ways.

The dove is a symbol of peace. After the storm in Noah’s day, it was a dove that brought back an olive branch signifying peace and the new start that God was offering the world.

The dove is a symbol of purity. Perhaps that is why Jesus instructed us to be innocent as doves as we share His gospel.

The dove is also a symbol of faithfulness. Turtle doves have a tendency to have one mate for life.

The dove is also a symbol for the Holy Spirit. At Jesus’ baptism, the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus in bodily form like a dove. Since doves tend to hover, that is probably how the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus, hovering over Him.

The characteristics of the dove highlight various dimensions of the Christian faith and are reasons to believe in God’s good news.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com