We’ve never been bumper sticker people, per se, but about a year ago, my wife brought home a couple of bumper stickers with the simple phrase "Read the Bible" on them. I liked the message and both our vehicles now proudly display them. Underneath the "Read the Bible" phrase is a passage reference of why we should "Read the Bible," II Timothy 3:16, which tells us:
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof,
for correction, and for training in righteousness...
As Christians, the passage tells us simply that the Bible is the direct word of God, and, as the phrase goes, it’s all good. But, during our Friday morning gallivanting, we encountered another driver who didn’t hold our views of the Bible.
As we were enjoying our morning outing and the beauty of the day, the peaceful bliss which enwrapped us was suddenly punctured by unexpected vileness, courtesy of the driver passing on our right. As I slowed to make a left hand turn, the man in the car next to us rolled down his window, leaned out, and stated his viewpoints about the Bible in a three word phrase that was chilling to the ear..."BLEEP YOUR BIBLE!!!" I apologize for putting a profanity in your heads, but I couldn’t think of any other way to report the incident.
It was jolting, to say the least. Initially, I felt angry indignation toward the offender. I wanted to follow him and find out exactly what his problem was. That feeling quickly changed to one of confusion and finally sympathy. Here was a man who was obviously spiritually lost, not knowing the joy of salvation that comes only through knowing Christ as Lord and Savior. Instead, hatred had moved into his heart, and it spewed out of his mouth that day.
I have a member of my own family who’s a self-proclaimed atheist, and displays the type of resentful anger toward Christianity that the poor driver demonstrated Friday morning. I’ve been praying for him for years. To date, his heart remains hardened toward God or, for that matter, anything spiritual. In his own way, he’s saying the same thing that the driver said toward me, as are so many who hear God’s calling, but refuse to respond. They are the folks, "whose minds the god of this age (Satan) has blinded, who do not believe..." (2Corinthians 4:4)
As Christians, we are to continue to pray for and pursue the lost. It isn’t always easy, but we can’t become derelict in our duties. God "desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." (1 Timothy 2:4) By His Holy Spirit living in us, we have to have the same desire in us. Something I need to work on...how about you?
I've encountered the same thing many times. Most recently from my son in law. When they were going thru some tough times i told him to pray about it and that I would pray for him as well. He looked at me in the face and said "God doesnt exist!" I was shocked to say the least. Instead of getting angry, like I often would have in the past. I simply said to him, "Maybe the God you worship doesnt exist but My God Does and He Loves you and wants you to love Him," I finished by telling him that I would continue to pray for him that God would reveal Himself to him. I continue to pray for Mike each day. Its not easy to love someone who is vile and hateful,I couldnt love him if it werent for the love that Christ shows me each day.
ReplyDeleteSallie Hartman