WHY EACH OF US MUST ANSWER THE QUESTION OF GOD

I suppose we’ll begin with an Ancient Greek. You know, just to warm ourselves up. Yeah, let’s start with one of those important ones like Plato or Socrates. Once we’ve sufficiently kissed their clogs, we might be able to move our way up and worship God.

But first with the Greek! Let’s not get ahead of ourselves! We need to stretch first. Reverence is a muscle. It involves bending the knees and puckering, so be careful.

Now imagine if one of those suntan philosophers actually proved once and for all that there was a God. Not in an abstract way, either. Not in that way that relies on logical proofs and nonsense arithmetic. Circles and such. No. I’m saying in a way that actually makes life worth living. I’m saying in a way that makes God seem caring and personal and watchful and kind.

What would the Greek have said to bring tears to Grecian eyes? Tears, I say, because of course they would have cried. If somebody conclusively proved that God was watching and that He loved you…of course you’d cry. Of course you would. Stop reading if you don’t think so. We’re not from the same planet and we can’t communicate. Go read something else where hearts are more like rocks.

Anyway, wouldn’t the Greek have talked of Greece? In order to sell his message, I imagine he would have referred to specific people. To specific landmarks. To specific incidents in history. Certainly everything he said would have been perfectly comprehensible to another Greek. He wouldn’t have mentioned cars or computers or you or me. Of course he wouldn’t have. Nor would he have mentioned anything that matters to a Russian either.

Now imagine if thousands of years later, one of those all-important Russians came across the Greek’s message. There’d be no talk of snow. No talk of novels or trains or pistols or empires or revolutions. Nothing about peasants, or Moscow, or Petersburg. Hell, there’d be nothing about Jesus either.

Wouldn’t the Russian be forced to conclude that the Greek spoke of another God? One that didn’t apply to his deviled Russia?

If the Russian were to be an important philosopher, he’d be forced to prove God’s existence all over again. But in his own way, of course. He’d talk about samovars and farmlands and labor camps and Russia. But he wouldn’t mention cars or computers or you or me.

So now imagine us here right now, reading this Russian’s message. Isn’t it the same thing all over again? Mustn’t one of us go on and prove that God is still around?

But think about it closely now, my friend. Really think about it. What matters most to you in life? A certain woman? A certain parent? A specific child and a specific place?

All of those things that makes life most worth living for you, all of those things that you would most love to be protected by God’s grace…they are utterly inaccessible to me. I don’t know who you are, or what matters most to you.

I can go on and speak of cars and computers and you or me. But what would really force tears into your eyes is if I spoke of your particular Elizabeth. I know if you spoke of my particular Elizabeth, I’d be stunned to silence. And I’d listen to you and I’d become your disciple.

I must conclude then, that the only way I’ll believe in God is if I’ve fought for the faith myself. Nothing I can read will really settle this turmoil in my heart. There are no words that could soothe this pain. No, there isn’t a single gospel that could grant me peace.

There’s only Elizabeth.

And I’ve lost her now, my friend. I’ve lost her.