As a contemplative person, I like to consider many issues. I like to ask myself “why?” On my non-contemplative side, I like to ask myself “what?” When bad things happen to me, I no longer ask why they are happening. I have found that to be useless. It doesn’t ever get answered unless it’s a result of my own actions. It is funny how we always want to know why. We are quick to assimilate an opinion, which we then form into an answer as an explanation for why the thing happened.
My post on a “God-thing” is subjective in that way.
I assume something is a “God Thing” because I ask God to answer the prayer and the way it comes to fruition is not of my doing, or He apparently goes before me or others in a specific situation. I believe they are from God.
“What?” is different.
My “what?” is actually “What now?” or “What’s next?” or “What should I do?” or “What does this mean?” I distinctly want to know what I am to do in a specific situation. I don’t want to do it motivated by my own flesh or with my own attitudes, which takes a certain amount of discerning and wisdom before an action is undertaken.
Then we come to “God”and our belief in Him.
Why do we believe in God? Why do we believe God is who He is? Why do we believe Christ is the answer? Interesting stuff. Truly interesting. Ravi Zacharias was quoting J. I. Packer, and he said something like this. All philosophy ties back to two questions we as a people are striving to answer: Question 1. Is there a God? Question 2. If there is a God, what is He like? Fundamental questions, right?
Why? Why does it matter?
Life is lived according to one’s knowledge of God and the truth we believe. Our actions are framed within this context. How we act shows what we believe. Truth is huge. Within a knowledge of God, we formulate truth. Truth is truth and it has not the capacity to be manipulated. It is not subjective. What is true will always be true, like yellow will always be yellow. Yellow is not red. Throughout the ages people have been arguing about truth. I was listening to a Christian radio broadcast of an interview with an author who was talking about truth. He said that the Constitution of the United States was written in the way in which it was written because of the writers’ Judeo-Christian view and beliefs. He said we would not have this sort of document to guide us without their respect for Christian principles. Although some of the fathers may not have been Christian, they had a fundamental appreciation for the truths found within Christianity whose concepts were valued and incorporated as guiding foundations for the way this new country, new government, was being formed.
We have a lot to be thankful for.
I wrote about the need for salvation last week. To be saved, one must have a need to be saved. We don’t save someone who doesn’t need saving. God doesn’t, either. We need saving. Spiritually, we are in a lost condition until we come to Jesus, when we repent of our sins, and we accept His offer of salvation for our sins and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as our own personal Savior. This belief will lead to restoration of relationship with God. On the cross, a penalty was paid for your and my sins; for our rebellion, selfish ways, and lost condition. It is a beautiful work of God that sets us free from bondage to sin, ourselves, this world and the evil within it. It is a miraculous supernatural event that happens in the person’s soul. We go from lost and dying, to life and living because of genuine belief in Jesus Christ. “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” John 10:10 NKJV
Why is it such a hard thing for some people to believe in Christ?
If you are one of those who has your guard up, who doesn’t want to listen to that Jesus stuff, that “born again” business. If you are one of those who chooses to plug your ears to the gospel of Jesus Christ, let me tell you, you need to give it a second look. God may be the answer you are seeking, the hope that you are needing, and the relationship you are craving. I believe you are missing out on the best thing ever, ever, ever. Christ didn’t come to make your life hard and complicated. He came to give you life. He came to offer you forgiveness. Christ is a giver. He gives hope, joy, a new heart and a new you. You are offered a new relationship, and it is a special one.
Following Christ is redemptive.
God redeems people. God wants to make you completely whole as a person. Jesus wants to save you because you’re worth saving. God loves YOU. He does. Give Him a chance to prove it. Actually, He already did prove it on the cross. We were with Him at the cross. His grace is sufficient for you and for me.
What about Christians who fail to be very “Christian”?
That one can be dismissed fairly easily. This isn’t about other people messing up. People are not perfect, even spiritual ones. You are looking at the wrong thing.
This is about you.
You can’t judge Christianity on the missteps of other people. This really is about you, and your own response to God and His gospel of salvation. You may be resisting His call because you have been hurt by people, by hypocrites. Or you blame God for allowing bad things to happen to you. You are distrustful and suspicious.
That doesn’t work either.
We live in a world that’s sick, depraved, where people are choosing their own way instead of God’s way. God cares. He does. The world is painful and marred, but God is not like the world in which we live. But He does spread love, joy, and peace in our world. When we have eyes to see it, we see God everywhere. All that is beautiful, good and kind comes from Him.
God offers hope in a world without hope.
God desires relationship with all of us, even you. He never gives up on anyone. His arm is outstretched to everyone. “With a strong hand, and with an outstretched arm For His mercy endures forever.” Psalm 136:12
God calls us to Himself.
We were made by God. All our inward parts were knitted together in our mother’s womb by the great Designer, God, Himself. Why? Because God loves us and desires relationship with us. What? God has a purpose for each one of us that only we can fulfill. We are uniquely made for God and His love. “Neither height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:39
God made you. God loves you. God keeps you. -Julian of Norwich
Those are wonderful understandings to behold and to hold close to the vest. Nobody can take them away from us. “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you.” Jeremiah 1:5; “Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love.” Ephesians 1:4.
God is calling you.
God loves you with tender love. Answer His call.
Come to Jesus.
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