Do you sometimes think about your relationship with God? Is He real? Is the Christian faith valid, or is it merely wishful thinking? I confess those thoughts have entered my mind. And then the Lord offers me compelling truth to settle the matter.
The other day, I listened to the guest speaker on the YouVersion app. He spoke about 1John 4:7 where Paul explains about love. “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.” So, if you have true, God-like love in your heart for others, you naturally love God as well.
The young man was a Christian born in Palestine who experienced the Palestinian conflict with Israel. He spoke about how everyone hated everyone else with the exception of close friends and family. He began to realize he didn’t hate the Jews but loved them and saw them as God did—as those whom God created. Though the Palestinians fought against the Jewish people, he didn’t hate them. He spoke about his Christian faith and how a relationship with God made all the difference.
I began to think. This man wasn’t from the US where I live. He lives on the other side of the world in a totally different culture than mine. Yet he believes in the same Jesus I do. What was it about Christ followers? They don’t all originate from the same country or culture. Christ followers don’t speak the same language or lead similar lives. How could this Palestinian know the same God as me all the way across the world and in a different society? The Christian faith isn’t merely for southerners or country folk in the US. God came to bring salvation for all mankind over the whole world. This man’s story rang true in my heart.
Maybe the point of this post is obvious to you, but somehow, this Palestinian’s story built up my faith, helping me to know God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. “For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people.” Titus 2:11