1 John 4:12 No
one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is
perfected in us. (ESV)
Throughout my many years
in ministry, I’ve recognized that the invisibility of God is a problem for some
people. Because He cannot be seen in person, they refuse to accept God’s
existence. If He were to turn up one day and walk among us, then they would
have no problem in believing that God is alive. Until that happens, however,
they will simply not believe.
But God isn’t invisible;
His existence is seen in the lives of many people. As the Apostle John wrote
long ago, ‘God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.’ This
means that if we want to convince someone else that God is alive, then they
need to see Him in us. If God’s love is perfected in us, then it should be
apparent to others in our relationships and through our deeds. If we sincerely
care for others, show compassion, and share love to the world, then we will
display God’s existence. However, if we present to the world disdain,
indifference, and dishonesty, then God will never be seen by those around us.
So, perhaps next time when
we hear from someone or read in a post that they don’t believe in God because He
cannot be seen, let’s not argue or get into an online debate, Instead, let’s try
to show God’s perfect love through what we say, write, or do because those will
be more effective than scoring over others with theological or Biblical points.
Q: Do I believe that
God abides in me? Do others recognize this?
Prayer: Lord God, help
us to be open to Your love and grant us opportunities to show Your compassion
to those we encounter today. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.
John Stuart is the pastor
of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to see
what’s happening at the church, click on this link: www.erinpres.org.
Today’s image is one of
John’s latest drawings called “Fall Communion.” If you would like to view a
larger image, click this link: Communion.
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