Thursday, April 23, 2009
Belief "IN" God
Have you ever wondered who the first person to not believe in God was? Who was the first person to actually say, “No, I don’t believe in God?” What if believing in God was thought of differently then today? Maybe that person still believed that God existed, but they didn’t believe “in” him. And over the years that meaning was kind of just lost in time. Now people do not even believe that God exists. Could it be that, that one person just didn’t believe that God was with him and every one else? So they created other Gods, or idols. We see in the Bible that when Moses comes down from Mt. Sinai the people at the foot of the mountain have made a golden calf to worship. Moses is furious with them, so mad in fact that he smashes the tablets given to him by God. Now these people believed in God, they believed that he existed. I mean he had just rescued them from Egypt! Yet they didn’t believe “in” God anymore. How on earth could they lose faith in him that fast? They didn’t believe that he was with them so they made the golden calf to worship so that it could be present with them. That was in a short period of time that they lost faith, now multiply that by a few thousand years. Wow how faith has changed. Back then they knew that God existed but they did not believe “in” him. Now I believe “in” him even tho I do not know that he exists. Its like say I had a friend who’s life goal was to become a professional basketball player. I know that he exists, but I do not believe that he will accomplish that goal, I do not believe in him. That in a sense is how the people in the time of Moses felt about God, they didn’t believe that he was always with them so they made something that was. They know that God exists yet they still don’t believe in him. After he rescues them from Egypt they make another god. I bet God just thought to himself, “are you kidding me?” Looking back to then, how could they not believe “in” him? If they didn’t believe in him then how do we still do it today? They knew that he existed yet our faith “in” him is stronger than theirs. You would think that they would believe “in” him way more than us but that is not the case. Its like when you have something for awhile you tend to eventually take it for granted and are used to it, and eventually don’t even think about it anymore. If we knew for sure 100% that God was real would we be the same way that they were? We might take it for granted and not even think twice about it. Without knowing 100% that God exists we begin to wonder about Him. We ask questions and talk and discuss God. We read his word, the Bible, so that we can feel him. We long and desire for a relationship with him. Would it be the same way if we always saw him? He wants us to want a relationship with him and to know Him. To truly know him, not just to acknowledge that he exists. When we find and establish our belief in him we do get to know him. He wants us to find him. I know a lot of you who read this are saying, “but I do know 100% that he exists!” And yeah, I do to but that is because I have my foundation in him, I believe “in” him. Not everyone does. If he was fully present and visible to everyone would we want to have this kind of relationship with him? Would we believe that he was with us or would we end up like the people at the foot of the mountain? When we believe “in” him we discover Gods true existence. Not someone who is just at the top of the mountain but who is down at the base with all of us.
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I'm not so sure that they had any more 'proof' in the existence of God than what we to in this generation. I mean, besides Moses seeing God on the side of the mountain, all the people saw was him going up the mountain, he was there for a few weeks, and then he comes back with two tablets with God's commands written on them.
ReplyDeleteI think they would have to have just as much faith as us. I think the biggest thing that has changed hasn't even been 'religious'. I think our understanding of science gives us a different picture of the world, universe, and the way things work together than what they had.
Even something that we take for granted...that the world is roundish.
Or the problems caused by mold/spoiled food/even what's going on within our bodies.
I guess I'm just pondering along with you, but I'm really not sure that it was easier for them to believe in or 'in' God.
i think the Isrealites definatelly did have more proof of Gods existence.....they had just been through the red sea - which was huge proof that God is real. read the story....read the Bible - its FULL of miracles....simply amazing! God was dissappointed in their 'forgetfullness' - they never did get to the promised land.
ReplyDeletei know personally that i would love to see a miracle such as that - how could you not believe in God's existence! it says in the Bible that Faith is believing with out seeing....there are 'modern' day miracles.....but i have yet to hear of one like the 'Red Sea'....i'm still waiting - but yet i'm still believing!