Thursday, July 25, 2002
Thursday, July 25, 2002
Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the
commandments of God and hold fast to the faith of Jesus.
"The natives of Macedonia did not believe Paul, so he got stoned.
Woody Allen once asked, "If God does exist, why doesn't He give me some sign--like
depositing a million dollars in my name in a Swiss bank?" In spite of the humorous twist Woody
gives things, my guess is that Woody's question was a serious one. Why does God not give us
just a little more evidence of His existence? Why doesn't He answer just a few more of our
prayers? Why does He keep Himself just a little beyond our reach?
Dr. H. H. Farmer once wrote, "If only God would, so to say, sign some of His gifts. If only, like
the artist, He would put His signature at the foot of some masterpiece of coloring in the sky."
Many of us have probably had the same wish. Why doesn't God reveal Himself to us in such a
way that never again would we have to live in doubt and despair? Perhaps He hides Himself
on purpose. Perhaps in order to bring us to spiritual maturity, it is necessary for Him to make
faith a challenge.
(Revelation 14.12
NRSV)
I read recently about some creative answers that came from a group of children in
confirmation classes in Birmingham, Alabama. Among other things they said,
"When people have only one wife or husband--that is called monotony."
And finally: "It is often difficult to hear in church because the agnostics are so terrible."
Dear God, help me to live up to the challenge of faith. Amen.
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