Jeremiah 33:14
Yes, the day will come, says the Lord, when I will do for Israel and Judah all the good I promised them.
The
Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by
permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois
60188. All rights reserved.
One of my favorite television programs is CBS Sunday Morning.
We record it each week to watch at our convenience…and I am never
disappointed. The program offers a good mix of feature stories that are
timely and interesting, on subjects from history to sports, art and
entertainment, and some great profiles of fascinating people – both
famous and obscure.
The latest edition of this program included a
feature on a group of “ordinary” folks who have declared themselves to
be atheists. The reasons for choosing this path were varied…some were
former Christians who left their faith, while others never grew up in
the church or found “mainstream religion” appealing. All were drawn to
the atheist camp because they found the tenets meshed well with their
way of thinking.
Our natural reaction as Christians is 1) to
want to tell these people how wrong they are; and 2) to fear them.
Studies show that approximately 7% of the American population does not
believe in God…but only 2.4% of them claim to be “atheists”. One of the
men interviewed for the piece said that atheists are treated as if they
are evil. Another said that once one declares to be an atheist, “doors
close”.
When a few of the self-proclaimed atheists interviewed
for this piece were asked what they wanted people to know about atheists
and what they believe, this is how they responded… “People can make the
world a better place if they work together. People can be good.
Believe what can be proven...love other people...treat them with love,
and they will treat you back that way. Live a life of integrity...be
honest.”
The Rev. Dr. Luke Powery, Dean of Duke University
Chapel, was interviewed for this CBS story. He maintains that…”Doubt is
part of faith.” He says that questions such as, “God are you there?"
are found throughout the Hebrew scriptures and Psalms. Powery maintains
that there can be anger against God…and a journey of doubt and
questioning. But he explains that this is actually part of building our
faith…admitting to God that we want to believe - but we need help with
our “unbelief”.
As I watched this story, I asked myself…”In
reacting and responding to this…how do I reflect my own Christian
faith?” Do I try to make a point with un-believers (some of whom now
call themselves “Openly Secular”)…or do I make a difference by how I
demonstrate my love and devotion to Jesus Christ? If you read through
the comments I shared about what atheists/Openly Secular people want
others to know about them, you will see that many of these sentiments
are the very tenets that Jesus gave us…love one another…treat others as
you wish to be treated…do not lie, cheat, or steal.
I have to
wonder…in our “zeal” to share the Gospel of Jesus, are we often more
concerned with proving that we are right – or are we truly interested in
preparing ourselves and others for Heaven and Christ’s return for His
church? When we invest so much time and energy in fights to put
physical copies of the Ten Commandments in public places, rather than
demonstrating our obedience to these laws in our everyday living, what
are we really saying? When we are so vocal about “returning prayer to
public schools” (it never left, you know!) instead of falling to our
knees and sincerely praying for others, what have we accomplished?
When
we are so busy fighting for our personal agendas that we don’t have
time to tend to those who are sick, suffering and in need…what does this
tell those who say that God does not exist? Are we really showing them
that He does? When “church” is a show (in every sense of the word)
rather than a gathering of the body of Christ to worship and serve…are
we truly creating an atmosphere that welcomes others and gives them hope
and promise in Jesus Christ – and a reason to turn to Him?
I
have to say that I am glad this segment aired – and that I saw it. I
have a new perspective on the “Openly Secular” and how I respond to
them. The Rev. Dr. Luke Powery was asked whether he believed that these
unbelievers would go to hell, and he replied, “I am not God.” He
explained that it is not up to him to decide who goes to hell – or to
heaven, for that matter. It is also not our job to condemn the very
people we wish to reach. We must start seeking God’s will in every
situation…demonstrating the teachings of Jesus…and allowing the Holy
Spirit to work in our hearts and guide our outward words and actions.
With
all my heart, I believe in Jesus Christ. I believe that He is
preparing an eternal home for me…and that He will someday return for His
church at large. I want to live for Him in such a way that others say,
“I want in on this!” And that means that I have to carefully consider
my words and actions and determine whether they make a difference for
the Kingdom of Heaven…or an “extra point” in my personal “Christian
playbook”. What about you?
©2015 Debbie Robus
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