 |
DoorCountyTravelersJournal.com |
| ... Your Quick & Happy Door County Read |
|
When it comes to faith, I’ve had scoffers run me around the flag pole until I broke a sweat. Still, they clung to their unbelief. (I’ve had one friend, a good man and honest thinker, step back from that final step to belief by announcing: “You cannot disprove the existence of God.” Then he continued in his non-belief. Very frustrating.) My point: When I read the passage below, I realized that the words are from the lips of Peter, Christ’s close companion. Now, I know that words may have been gained or lost through various versions over the two hundred or so year gap between when first written and set as gospel (get it?) by the Church, so there is some wiggle room for doubt. So, I guess my point is that believers will believe, while scoffers will point to possible loop holes. Sigh. – jri “And we apostles are witnesses of all he did throughout Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a cross, but God raised him to life on the third day. Then God allowed him to appear, not to the general public, but to us whom God had chosen in advance to be his witnesses. We were those who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.” -- St. Peter (Acts 10:39-41) My biggest problem (well, among the top ten, thank you) is that I fall into the trap of thinking I can argue people into belief, rather than just sharing what God has done in my own life, and then letting the Holy Spirit do the heavy lifting. Remember (and this is a note to self, as well), faith is a gift. We cannot pound the love of God in people’s heads or put them on the rack, as was done during the Inquisition. No, actually, it seems to me that all we can do are three things: First, love them (yes, even the toads). Second, let them know how important God is our lives. Third, do our best to live our own lives as witnesses to the love of God. Other than that … well, I guess there is nothing other than that. God bless. John Ingrisano 209 Church Street Algoma, WI 54201 (920) 559-3722 www.dailyconnections.net © Copyright 2011 by DoorCountyTravelersJournal.com
| ||||||||||||||||||||
Email article to a friend