At New Wine last year, I went to the morning Bible teaching on Love. One phrase that stuck in my mind was "Life has more to do with the poetic than with science, and I say that as a scientist". The language of love speaks to our hearts, to motivate, inspire and bridge the gap between people. Our God is love, so as we get to know Him and let His spirit live in us, it is not surprising that we can become more alive to beauty, art and poetry.
One experience that encouraged my faith was walking up Bow Fell in the Lake District when in my early twenties. The beauty of the landscape on this fine Spring day so captivated me, I could sense the presence of God in it. But, I have to say, that is not the norm. If I'm not careful I all too quickly fall into a "going through the motions" sort of faith.
When I was about ten, one girl in our RE class wrote "God Loves You" in big bubble writing for her homework, and coloured it in rainbow colours. This impressed our RE teacher, and she got a house point. Knowing she was onto a good thing, the next week she repeated this for her homework, again with praise from the teacher. When it was repeated for the third time, the teacher smelt a rat. "How about writing why you believe that?" he said.
Saying that God loves us, whilst being so gloriously true, has to be more than lip service in our worship, evangelism or pleasing someone else. We have to let it touch the core of our being. It is unrealistic to expect mountain-top experiences all the time, and God does seem to go quiet for some people as they go through dry spiritual times. But we are commanded to seek God, and indeed promised that we will find Him:
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Matthew 7:7-8 [NIV]
Does your faith need some maintenance, some quality time with God, to let your heart know again the depth of his love for you?
Jon Seaton
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