
Recently, a reporter called to ask my opinion about the condition of our local historic cemeteries. His inquiry was sparked by a story he is doing on the veterans of the Civil War, both Union and Confederate, buried there. I told him that no matter what side the man (and in some cases, woman) fought for, they should be honored and their gravesites treated with care simply because of their willingness to risk their life for what they believed in. As our nation marks the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, I hope others focus this way and not rehash the war. One of the reasons, I entered into a period of contemplation during Lent was to think about what I truly believe about God. What do I think about Who He is and what He has done for me? When I was studying to become a historian and learning about events like the Civil War, I understood for the first time that God gifted me with an excellent brain. In fact, it was during college, that I recognized I was “smart” and if I applied myself, I could do very well. I succeeded in that pursuit and won many awards as a student including being inducted into Phi Beta Kappa honor society. But, that same brain sometimes gets me into trouble when it comes to issues of faith. Because I like to prove, to document and to analyze and when it comes to God, that is almost impossible. My whole life periodically the doubts will surface. What if I am following a lie? What is Jesus really was never raised from the dead? What if there is not God? My brain has been no help when it comes to answers. There are authors out there like Lee Strobel who have made “a case” for God, but when it comes right down to it, believing in God is like jumping off a cliff where the bottom is so far down you cannot see it. But, what enables you to make that leap is truly knowing God by having a relationship with Him and spending time with Him in prayer and in Bible Study. I read this quote on someone else’s blog recently. If it was yours, I apologize, but I can’t remember whose it was. Ernest Boyer Jr. said, “God is not a belief to which you give your assent. God becomes a reality whom you know intimately, meet everyday, one whose strength becomes your strength, whose love, your love. Live this life of the presence of God long enough and when someone asks you, “Do you believe there is a God?” you may find yourself answering, “No, I do not believe there is a God, I KNOW there is a God.”” The more I spent time with God during Lent, the less I doubted and the more I believed. But, now the question comes, like the Civil War veterans, “Would I give my life for what I believe?”
Thank you for the prayers….they are much appreciated and greatly needed! My intellect also used to get the best of me and Satan tries to distort it for his benefit. I highly recommend the book The Incomparable Christ by J. Oswald Sanders…which I am currently reading and following the study done on Revive Our Hearts. It is remarkable. I still continue to question "would I give my life for what I believe?".