Day 1


So everyone tells me that I need to start journaling my quiet times, but to me, typing then on a word document is dreadfully boring, and it seems pointless. Then I decided that posting my readings in a blog, though basically the same thing, could prove to be more interesting for me. Therefore, I'm sharing some things I'm learning from scripture on a blog that probably/hopefully no one will read. If anyone does read it, good for them.


Passage: Hebrews 11:1-6

1 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. 2 This is what the ancients were commended for.


3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.


4 By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead.


5 By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.” For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. 6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.


Now I recently studied the book of Hebrews at a camp nearly a month ago, but God called my attention back to one verse in particular this morning.

 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.


Sadly, this verse is used out of context all of the time. Most of the time that I hear this verse used, it's by a Christian who either:
a) Is too lazy to,
b) Is too afraid to,
or c) Is unable to give "proof" regarding God's existence and the death of His Son.

However, when I read this verse, I'm not convinced that God's telling me that I don't need to be concerned about proving His existence. I also don't read it as meaning that if you do convince someone through evidence, God's up in heaven going "Oh, well, he came to me through logic, and proof. *Psshh*Faithless little piece of crap. I am not pleased."

No.

I mean, think about it; God has a purpose for everything He does. He's God! There's no "easy way" for him. He doesn't do anything because it was more convenient for him. I mean, he took an entire week to create the world just to show us how we're supposed to work. He could have done it in an instant, but he purposely spent longer than necessary just to prove a point.

He also created humans without visual proof of Himself for the same reason.

God already had His angels, so why would he need humans? He had enough people worshiping Him already, so why did He create us? For fun? For giggles? For the sake of, "Hey, Jesus, check this out."

Umm, no.

(I promise I'm getting to my point)

The reason God made us was so that He could be loved genuinely. He knew that humans wouldn't be perfect, He knew that we would fall, He knew that we would sin. I mean, if you think about it, he put a lot of things in place that prove that he knew from the beginning that we wouldn't be perfect.

For instance, do you think God made a 24,901 mile earth just for two people contained in one garden? And you have to think about the resources that he implemented into animals, despite the fact that we "weren't intended" to use them.

It's almost as if, wait for it... God knows everything- *GASP*  What a shock!

So by this line of thinking, God made us without visual proof of His existence. He gives us little snip-its along the way, but no one is born with the knowledge that God exists. That way, when we come to know him on our own, without him having to blatantly announce "I'm right here! Hello? God here. Creator of all mankind? Maybe you've heard of me?" He is well pleased.

Ohhh that's what that verse is talking about.


He means that the fact that his angels believe in Him, doesn't mean much. I'm sure He loves His angels, but if the love of your life came up to you one day and said "Hey, I just want you to know that I believe that you exist." would it really mean that much to you?

Probably not.

So to summarize: God has angels to worship him, but he wanted to be loved in a higher, more difficult way. So he decided to make us, and when those of us, who were not born loving him, end up loving Him regardless, He is pleased by the fulfillment of our purpose, and by the love we have for Him.