There is so much assurance in the life of a believer that no matter where we are, be it in the fiery furnace[1] or the valley of death[2], Abba is with us. Who can compare to our Father who promises again and again ‘never to leave us, nor forsake us[3].’ He calls us to a life of rest, away from the baseless cares and worries of the world.
Yes, we are the light and the salt of the world. We are His ambassadors, His agents of reconciliation to a dead and decaying world, but all that He calls us to do, He gives us His power and grace to accomplish it.
When I Look Back and See
As far as my mind can dwell, even if it’s just a faint memory, I can only see His faithfulness over and over, throughout my life. When I think of all the choices I made, places I went, people I met, all of it comes together in a big wide web of His goodness in my life.
A seemingly insignificant detail of yesterday would suddenly become such undeniable evidence of how He watched over me and took me along His way, all while I was questioning His very existence.
How Can One Not Believe?
I remember watching an episode of ‘Young Sheldon’ where Sheldon helps his mum regain her lost faith with a mere statement on how the creation of the universe is so precise that only a supreme supernatural entity could have achieved it.
There is so much beauty, so much precision in everything He has created, that we know, even scientifically, that none of this could have ever existed on its own.
No matter how intelligent and technologically advanced humans have become, none could ever come close to creating another human being or even a small chicken, for that matter, that’s an exact replica of what God has made.
Why Would You Not Believe?
It’s true there is darkness in the world. Diseases, deaths, poverty, abortion, depression, the list goes on. There’s no denying that the grim grossness of the real world can make anyone question,’ Where is God?’
I have had acquaintances who didn’t believe in God and quite justifiably too. Most of them had a very critical life moment where He apparently did nothing to ease their misery. Some lost a loved one, others lost their jobs, yet others battled with chronic illness up to their death beds.
To many of them, God is just a fairy tale or part of some distant remote world that never intersects their own reality.
How Do I Make You Believe?
Honestly, I can’t. No human being has the power to make another human being believe in God. Yes, we are ambassadors speaking about our King. We are lights pointing to His goodness and glory. We are salt seasoning you, healing you with His words. But we can’t believe on your behalf.
This is the part you have to do yourself.
I was a namesake Christain for 22 years of my existence. Baptized in our local church, went to Sunday School every week, knew the books in the Bible, won many awards, including the National Bible Quiz from Bihar-Jharkhand region and whatnot. And yet, I didn’t know Jesus.
It was only at a spirit-filled conference held in Dimapur, Nagaland, in SOFI Church, on the 25th of November,2019, that I accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior and welcomed the Holy Spirit to come and abide in me.
All these years I was a ‘Christian’, on my birth certificate, my school and college certificates, and every other ID proof that was ever made. But I only believed when I chose to believe.
The Invitation Is for All
He stands at the door knocking and waiting, urging you to open the door. The small voice that you hear that keeps guiding you unto the right paths of joy and peace, that’s Him. All of us human beings, whether believers or unbelievers, are made in His image, and our spirit is still connected to Him, no matter where we go.
The constant itch and restlessness, the unquenchable desire for companionship, love, and affection, it is our hearts crying out for the connection that we lost with our Abba since Adam’s fall.
Father of the Fatherless
Violent behavior, mental disorders, poverty, and several other unfortunate yet widely-prevalent evil can be traced to absent/ abusive fathers or broken homes. Fathers play a key role in their child’s development and having a damaging relationship with one’s father can scar them for a lifetime.
I myself, didn’t have the most pleasant childhood, and yet I find assurance and strength every time I read this:
A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.
(Psalms 68:5)
He is my Father and your Father. He is my God, and He can be yours too.
Reach out to Him, and He will run to you, covering you up in His redeeming embrace. (Luke 15)
He who gave His Son for you will not withhold anything.
All you need to do is open the door and ask Him to ‘come in and stay’.
[1] Daniel 3:25
[2] Psalm 23:4
[3] Hebrews 3:15
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