Monday, January 28, 2013

Is God Big Enough?

"None of us knows and this makes it a mystery
If life is a comedy, then why all the tragedy?
Three and a half pounds of brain try to figure out
What this world is all about
And is there an eternity ....Is there an eternity?
God if You're there, I wish You'd show me
And God if You care then I need You to know me
I hope You don't mind me asking the questions
But I... figure You're big enough
I figure You're big enough

Lying on pillows we're haunted and half-awake
Does anyone hear us pray "If I die before I wake?"
Then the morning comes and the mirror's another place
Where we wrestle face-to-face
With the image of deity
The image of deity

God if You're there, I wish You'd show me
And God if You care then I need You to know me
I hope You don't mind me asking the questions
But I... figure You're big enough
I figure You're big enough

When I imagine the size of the Universe
And I wonder what's out past the edges
Then I discover inside me a space as big
And believe that I'm meant to be filled up
With more than just questions."


Is there room for doubt in the Christian life?  Can we really profess to be Christians but doubt in the things of God and fear for the future?  So many Christians worry that doubt is a sign that they have lost their way...they are washed up...no good for God.  Is that really the case?  As you look through the Bible you see so many characters who lost their faith, some after miraculous signs and great acts of God. How can we forgot so quickly how much God has given us and begin to wonder if He is there....if it is all worth it...if eternity is only reserved for giants of the faith?

The song by Chris Rice speaks to some of these doubts.  Many criticized the song when it first came out, especially in Christian circles.  How could a Christian song speak of doubt and fear and even wonder about the presence of God?  How could any Christian not be deliriously happy all the time? Therein lies the problem. We think Christians are all superheroes that have it all together. But we are the lost ones hiding in the cave when David finds them.  We are Jonah waiting under a tree to die.  We are Joseph in a pit wondering if God had abandoned him.  We are Mary Magdelene looking up at the faces of the men who would seal her fate, stern looks and stones in their hands. 

If you have never experienced deep hardship and doubt in your walk, you are either a much stronger Christian than me, or a storm is on the horizon.  The good news is that all the characters I mentioned above found the light.  They were rescued, redeemed by God. God showed up in their lives in a big way.  They later came to understand how much God love them, even though their doubt blinded them for a time.  Many Christians today wonder what God's will is. They wait for the next burning bush or water turned into wine. Then they are sad when miracles never happen.  All the while, God is there. He is never away from us, but sometimes we fail to see him because he usually works behind the scenes, quietly and patiently. God's will is right in front of your eyes. Waking up in the morning and seeing the sun rise is a guarantee of God's presence.

The season of doubt will pass. As you wait, don't stop doing what we know to be right.  Don't stop being an example of Christ to all those around you.  Do not lose hope, for the future is yours and whether or not you feel His presence, He is the wind at your back and the breeze on your face when the stress of life makes you weary. Be strong and hang on tight to His silent guiding hand.

Is this the last time you will face uncertainty in your walk?  I doubt it….