Tag: Believe in God

A good friend of mine had recently lent me her CD of 10-minute audio devotions by, Lifeway Women (similar to podcasts). One of the devotions was titled, “Knowing your Beliefs” by Mary Jo Sharp and it was about asking ourselves what is our own knowing of our beliefs. Why do we believe in Jesus? Why do we believe Jesus is the only way? These are questions we need to be prepared to answer. Mary Jo calls it being responsible with our beliefs or being a responsible believer. When we are responsible we would be more confident to engage in conversation with others about our faith, especially with those who have different beliefs. In her 10-minute devotion Mary Jo states that, “the first skill of a good ambassador is knowledge”. It’s reflecting on what is our own understanding of our faith.

As I write this blog I realize and confess to you and myself that I am not fully confident that I would be truly prepared to answer that question right on the spot. I pray that by the end of this blog I will know more about myself and most importantly more about God. I hope you will stop and pause with me to reflect on this too.

To believe is to accept something as true. Well how can I believe something as true when I cannot see God? From my recent blog post on What Does God Look Like I discuss God’s image. Oh how timely it was that I wrote about it prior to coming across this devotion. God is good! His image is in the Bible. The Bible is the Truth. The Bible is the Living Word of God. I believe in God because the Bible is the Living Truth.

I believe in God because He believes in me, not believed in past tense, but continues to believe in me. He doesn’t just support me once in my lifetime and then moves right on along.  No.  He holds on and He holds on tightly. Despite my faults, doubts and sins, He has never left my side. Too often enough I get sucked into life’s challenges, responsibilities and earthly expectations that I forget I am loved. When I gave up, when my faith was weak, He never gave up on me. His love is so beautiful it brings me to tears. I am so undeserving yet He loves me even though I strayed away.

I believe in God because His presence is everywhere. He is evident in my children when they laugh.  He is present when my husband makes dinner for our family. He is in my car when I drive to work. When a friend comforts me He’s there. God is in all creation: the sun, sky, water, trees, animals and people. Even in tragedy He is always present. In His perfect timing His goodness will prevail. God will always bring good from evil.

I believe in God because He has a plan for me. My parents immigrated into Canada at a very young age, got married and then came me and my sister.  They were hard working and taught us the value of education and having a good job. Most importantly they provided us with a solid foundation of faith. I was raised as Catholic and we attended church every Sunday as a family.  As I grew older, the Sunday tradition faded. I went to University, got a nursing job in a busy Toronto hospital, married my husband and adopted two amazing boys. All the while I forgot about God. He was low on my priority list of expectations to fulfill.  It was only until about four years ago, I felt a longing for more, more than just earthly achievements and material stuff. I wanted to have a relationship with God and the only way to do it was to find a church community that would help me. I wanted more than the tradition of going to church only to sit-kneel-and-stand. For some, including my parents, that works. For me, not so much. I needed meaning and a true relationship with God. According to God’s plan He led me to St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church where I have met so many people to help me grow and mentor me in strengthening my faith in God. Here I am today.  Who knew I would have taken a leap and started a blog? I’m sure God did!

I believe in God because there is more to life than our short time here on earth. I must use this time to learn more about God’s character and to be more like Him—loving, forgiving, compassionate, non-judgmental and patient.

Lastly, I believe in one true God because God is love.  It doesn’t get any better than that.

God.

Is.

Love.

So, this brings me back to the question from the start: If someone were to ask you today, right now, right in this very moment, why you believe in God, would you be prepared to answer?

I am thankful to God that my friend had lent me her CD and that Mary Jo had asked that important question. After pausing and reflecting I can call myself a responsible believer. Will you take responsibility with me?

Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.

1 John 4:7-10

Many blessings,

Justine, writer of The Scarlet Rope