Moment With The Master
“God, Face to Face”
Categories: Moment With The Master"Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me! For my soul trusts in You; And in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, Until these calamities have passed by...” (Psalms 57:1)
At a recent worship service several of our men were asked to read a favorite scripture or lead a favorite song, and then relate the story behind the scripture or song. Seventeen men led us in a service that lasted for an hour and forty-five minutes.
As each man spoke it occurred to me that each chosen passage pointed to a personal experience in the life of that person. One of them spoke of losing his father and grandfather within a few short months, another of his little brother’s struggles with type-1 diabetes, another of when he realized the true meaning of a Bible passage that he misapplied for many years; and the list goes on and on. With each selection, there was a personal connection between God and the individual.
A few days ago I started reading Lee Strobel's, “The Case for Faith”. Our worship service reminded me of an observation made in that book: "God didn't let Job suffer because he lacked love, but because he did love, in order to bring Job to the point of encountering God face-to-face, which is humanity’s supreme happiness. Job's suffering hollowed out a big space for him so that God and joy could fill it.”
Skeptics point to pain and suffering to question the existence of God. Intellectually there are valid answers to their disputes, but when one's world is turned upside down it is not reason that comforts, but the reality of God.
And so on a Sunday afternoon, I got to know my brothers in Christ a little better. Indeed, we do live in a broken world. However, the God who skeptics deny strengthens relationships, increases faith, and provides meaning and purpose for living like no other.
By George Slover
