A God-Thing

“I’ve experienced some things in my life that were truly ‘God-things.’ ”  (Such was my less than precise theological term for events that can only be explained and understood in the light of the reality of God and His intervention.)  His reply, “There’s an explanation for everything…You underestimate yourself.”  Ouch!  He was right – everything can be explained – but he was also wrong – everything cannot be explained without taking God into account!

I am reminded of the raising of Lazarus in John 11.  In verse 42 Jesus addresses God the Father in prayer before this tremendous miracle and explains, “…but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”  Did it work?  Yes, and no.  After the miracle the gospel writer reports in v. 45-46, “Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, put their faith in him.  But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.”  Some believed – more precisely, they chose to put their faith in him – and some went looking for other explanations – putting their faith in themselves and others.

Answered prayer, divine guidance, the wonderful peace of God in the midst of an upsetting personal struggle – these are the sorts of “God-things” that we can and do experience in the Christian life.  Do these prove the reality of God?  NO!  They only confirm it.

The proof of God’s existence surrounds us – the beauty and complexity of the world that surrounds us, the wonder of human love, the miracle of life – but we need eyes of faith to see it. The word of God tells us that “If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God.  And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.  God is love…” (1 John 4:15-16).  His love is real and it’s forever.  And just as my husband reminds me daily of his love for me, God also reminds us of His love for us.  Let’s look and listen for those reminders of His love – and pray that that young man – and others like him – will come to know and believe the love of God.  Faith – now that’s a “God-thing!”