Why I Believe In God

This week our pastor began a series giving his reasons for believing.  The first sermon was called "Why I Believe In God."  There are other topics coming up like "Why I Believe the Bible," "Why I Believe In Jesus,"  and the list goes on.  One of the observations he made was that there are three aspects to belief:  experiential, biblical and logical.  He explained that his belief occurred in that order.  He believed the message and had the experience of the Holy Spirit working in his life, then he began studying the scriptures, and finally he began to see why it was logical.  He also told us that this happens in varying order for different people.  He knows someone who first found belief in God to be logical, then they studied the scriptures and finally experienced the work of God in their life.  I had to ask myself the question, "how did this come about for me?"

I was raised in the church.  That's kind of a funny expression.  When I said that to one of my young children several years ago, they thought it meant I lived in a church building.  Being raised in the church really means being brought up in an environment with followers of Christ.  The church is made up of people, not bricks and wood and mortar.  I went to Sunday School, and I was taught stories from the Bible.  I was four years old when I put my faith in Christ, and He began to work in my life.  He was there for me through many difficulties and trials as a child, and I know I couldn't have made it through them without Him.  I am not sure whether to say that my first step was biblical or experiential, but the experience was probably the stronger of the two at the beginning. 

When I was a teen I went to a camp where I made a commitment to read the Bible everyday whether I understood it completely or not.  I still practice this though, I admit, there are days when I neglect it.  The truth is there are still times when I read and it goes over my head.  When things are familiar it is easy to read them without really thinking, but sometimes my eyes are opened to truths that I have been missing.  Listening to the messages of those who are more mature has been an important part of my understanding.  The greatest discovery, probably in my early twenties, was that of grace.  The concept of undeserved favor with God was something that I had never really grasped.  I always felt unworthy, and rightly so, I was, but to discover that God wasn't angry with me because of my failures was amazing.  To understand that not only was salvation through faith in Christ free, but so was the love and acceptance of God the Father.  This is about the time the biblical aspect really began to strengthen my faith and the "stories" began to come together.  

As far as logic goes, I don't have any fancy argument or scientific explanations to give, but there is evidence all around me. When I go for a walk in the spring and the earth is turning green and the flowers start to bloom, I know that God has it all in His hand.  When I stand on a mountain and look out across a valley to ridge upon ridge of magnificence, I know that God created it.

When I hear people argue that it all began as a random occurrence of chance, it breaks my heart.  I gave birth to four babies.  They are all miracles that could have only been designed by the awesome God.  If someone were to look at my children and deny they had a mother because they had never seen me, that would be ridiculous, yet there is an infinite God who gave new birth to my spirit, and people will say that He doesn't exist.  I'm not sure why my personal belief in my Creator and Savior would be offensive to anyone unless they serve another god, but my motive for wanting them to know Him is that I don't want them to be lost to eternal separation from the creator of all things good.  Here on earth everyone has the chance to catch glimpses of Him in creation, after life on earth they will either be in His presence where all is perfection, or His presence will be taken from them completely which is hell.

More  important  than  my  desire for  men  and women, boys and  girls to be saved,  is God's desire.   2 Peter 3:9 says, "The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance." He wants people to know Him and trust in the work of His Son on the cross.  He has given me a gift, along with all of His children, and He has instructed us to share it with the world. Jesus said in Matthew 28:19-20,  "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”     The things that Jesus commanded us are to love God and to love one another.  (Matthew 22:36-40)  Anything we perceive as a rule we have to follow is really just an instruction to help us love.  God tells us what His character is like and then instructs us to be like Him.  (Leviticus 19:2) (1 Peter 1:15-16)  

Everyone is different, but we were all created by the same God.  Some believe in their Creator and others do not. I see the fingerprints of God all around me.  I hear His echo in the voices of His children.  I have seen Him change lives.  I have heard Him speak directly to my own heart when I have needed direction or comfort.  I don't just believe, but I have a relationship with Him. He is my Father.  He is my Savior.  He is My Creator.  He is my Friend.  He is my God!