Sunday Reflection: Rooted
I
saw a poster on FB the other day that in general said this: They (the person in
the poster) would rather have lived their life believing in God and Jesus as
the son of God and find out in the end that it was all for nothing than to have
lived their life absent from God, but to find out in the end he is real. (Paraphrased)
As
a teenager, I said something similar to the poster quote when a friend of mine
said to me, “You’re going to feel stupid when you die and find out there is no
God and you’ve wasted your time being all good.”
I said, “I’d
rather live my life believing in God and finding out he’s not real in the end than
to not believe and find out he is real and then live in hell, forever.”
First
of all, I need to say that I wasn’t “good”, just a teenager. Secondly, since then my faith
in God has become more than guessing if God's real or not. Knowing God, and his
son Jesus as my Savior, who died because all people have sinned, is strengthening. Where God is
powerful, he is also pure love. Where he is righteous, he is also forgiving.
“This
is what the Lord says:
‘Cursed
is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose
heart turns away from the Lord.
That
person will be like a bush in the wastelands; they will not see
prosperity when it comes.
They will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives.
They will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives.
But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose
confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that
sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves
are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to
bear fruit.’” Jeremiah
17:5-8 (NIV)
We
may trust in people, self-medicating devices, possessions or ourselves, but in the
end those will fail us. Following God's precepts allows our spiritual roots to deepen in faithfulness. With this kind of relationship, we are more equip to manage hard times when they come, where we may bend, but not go down for good.
Blessings,
Teresa
Holy Bible source: biblegateway.com
One of my cousins said to me what you said. Still though, I remain skeptical. Although my ex husband was one of those militant atheists who would really berate people for their beliefs (I am totally the opposite...I may not believe but I also respect other's rights to do so), but when he was told he was terminally ill, he found god. That surprised me. I didn't think he'd ever do a 180 like that.
ReplyDeleteAmen! And I know my belief will not be for nothing.
ReplyDeleteThat is sure true, better to find out there is none than rot in that warm place lol
ReplyDeleteIt is a form of Pascal's Wager who wrote "Let us weigh the gain and the loss in wagering that God is. Let us estimate these two chances. If you gain, you gain all; if you lose, you lose nothing. Wager, then, without hesitation that He is."
ReplyDeleteSomehow it has gotten to be seen as sophisticated and educated to scoff at God. To see this majestic world in all its complexity, reaching out to infinity with pristine order and wonder -- and say like the 3 Monkeys, "I see, hear, speak no God" It is being purposely oblivious to the obvious. Have a lovely Sunday. :-)
AMEN! Great post!
ReplyDeleteHugs and chocolate!
"To believe in God is to know that all the rules will be fair and full of wonderful surprises." A quote I first read on the wall of a friend's office; now found online. To believe in God gives me great peace. Through crucial experience I know, as Roland says, that He is.
ReplyDeleteThis is a wonderful post. Thank you!
So true. And I might add that if the person who places his security in the material world loses his life then he loses everything whereas when the one who puts his faith in Jesus loses his life then he gain everything that is truly worth having. This world offers little and what it does offer is only temporary.
ReplyDeleteArlee Bird
A to Z Challenge Co-host
Tossing It Out
Since hell has been mentioned more than once, I'm wondering why anyone would want to go where this alleged god cannot even cure a lucifer that's-a-warrin' in heaven? Especially when "being good" is its own reward, not doing it to please an idea that fosters self-hatred .
ReplyDelete