Wouldn’t it be great if everyone could receive an overwhelming reason…a sign…that would make everyone believe in God. Granted,… there are plenty of strong factual and philosophical reasons to believe, but have you ever wondered, even for a moment, why doesn't God just exhibit himself in such a blatant way that people would HAVE to believe He exists?
Philip Yancey, in his book, "The Jesus I Never Knew," provides a pretty good answer. He points out to his readers that God has given us the freedom to believe in him or not. And he says, "My faith suffers from too much freedom, too many temptations to disbelieve. At times I want God to overwhelm me, to overcome my doubts with certainty, to give final proofs of his existence and his concern. I want a God without ambiguity, One to whom I can point for the sake of my doubting friends." But then he says, "The more I get to know Jesus, the more impressed I am by what [Dostoevsky] calls the miracle of restraint."
Jesus performed so many miracles in His brief ministry on earth that it leaves me to wonder why there are so many unbelievers around today. I suppose we need for Him to pick up the island of Manhattan, complete with skyscrapers, subways, electronic neon billboards and drop it right before us. But, even with the power to do anything He so wills to instantly convince all skeptics,…he doesn’t. Why not?
It is because God always sustains the free will He created us to have. Yancey says, "Although power can force obedience, only love can summon a response of love, which is the one thing God wants from us and the reason he created us." What God wants… is for His wonderful creation to know Him as our Father, Friend, Comforter, Counselor, Lord…not as mindless robots,…but willingly,… not under compulsion. While He has given us plenty of reason to believe in Him…He doesn't force us to know Him.
Jesus says, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any one opens the door, I will come into him" (Revelation 3:20). Christ enters our lives only with our permission. And if we truly want to find out if God is “out there” and what He is like,… He will allow us to find Him and know Him.
God, I want to know You with all my heart. Thank you for the ways You show Yourself to me. Amen
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