"Your father said that believing in something doesn't make it real. But what he don't understand is that there are things - incredible things! - that are real whether we believe in them or not. The Story is real, all right, but he won't see it until he's willing to believe.
"Believing in something or someone is a very special thing, my boy. It can be risky 'cause if you believe in something, you stand up for it. You fight for it sometimes. If what you believe turns out to be a lie, you could end up humiliated or... worse."
~ The Door Within, Wayne Thomas Batson, (c) 2005
Does God seem distant? Is He detached from you? Maybe that's because you're waiting for Him to come to you. If so, then you've got things backwards.
God has given us His Word, His Son, and His Spirit. That is more that we all will ever need in order to understand God (and certainly more than we can absorb in a lifetime). But the next step belongs to each of us. It's up to us to read God's Word, believe in His Son, and to follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
You see, God is a perfect gentleman. He never forces Himself on anyone. He anxiously desires a deep and meaningful relationship with you, but He won't force the issue. It must be voluntary on your part. So, if you want to get to know God better, you must approach Him. When Jesus taught this principle, He presented the relationship as an invitation:
Look! Here I stand at the door and knock. If you hear me calling and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal as friends. (Revelation 3:20 NLT)
God makes Himself available, but you must respond to His invitation. Take Him at His Word. God to Him. Open the door of your heart to Him.
You don't have to move to a monastery to know God better. You don't have to learn ancient Hebrew or memorize the names of the twelve disciples in alphabetical order. All it takes is your time and attention - reading His Word and talking to Him. Start with a few minutes each day, and grow from there. You don't have to call to schedule an appointment. He has already extended the invitation, and He's waiting for you to respond.
~ God is in the Small Stuff (and it all matters), Bruce Bickel and Stan Jantz, (c) 1998
"Believe" is defined by Dictionary.com as, "to have confidence in the truth, the existence, or the reliability of something, although without absolute proof that one is right in doing so."
Read that a couple times and let it sink in.
Do you believe?
In what?
Why?
These are fair questions for anyone to ask you.
Can you answer them?
<3 Warrior
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