If you’ve ever been to the Sierra Nevada Mountains, you’ll recognize these…

The great Redwood trees are some of the oldest living things on this planet. Needless to say, walking though the ancient groves is truly a humbling experience. These majestic giants have been here long before our modern world. They’ve outlived political revolutions, technological shifts and pretty much everything else the planet could throw at them. And when I look at these awe-inspiring giants I can’t help but think of different type of giant – the giants of the faith. I thought about how even as the Son of God, Jesus was intimately familiar with the lives and work of those “giants of the faith” who had come before him. He quoted the Law of Moses, the Psalms of David and the Prophecies of Isaiah during his ministry.

And likewise, I think there’s a lot we can learn from some of the “giants” who have come before us. I’m talking about people like Athanasius, Augustine, Luther, Calvin, and even more modern ones like Lewis, Chesterton, Barth, Thomas Torrance and James Torrance. When you read their work, you can’t help but be humbled by the wisdom that comes from people who have wrestled with doctrines and faith at a level that transcends what most of us ever experience. And like the ancient Redwoods, their work has often outlived centuries of revolutions, shifts and trends in the Christian faith, helping the Church chart its course through history. By reading and studying that work, we reap the benefits of their "deep roots" and hard-earned wisdom, perhaps glimpsing insights into our own faith that may deepen our relationship with God.

So the next time you reach a point in your journey where your own personal experience falls short, remember the giants of the faith, and take advantage of the chance to crack a book and walk in the footsteps of those who have come before you.

I’m Joseph Tkach, speaking of LIFE.