I read a short article about human suffering. And it reminded me of some old commercials for the headache product you’ve probably heard of. Bufferin. I remember old commercials from back in the days of black and white TV. Yeah, we humans sure want the pain to be gone. Even ALL the pain of the world.
C.S. Lewis is quoted as saying this: “The problem of reconciling human suffering with the existence of a God who loves, is only insoluble so long as we attach a trivial meaning to the word love, and look on things as if man were the centre of them. Man is not the centre. God does not exist for the sake of man. Man does not exist for his own sake. Thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. We were made not primarily that we may love God (though we were made for that too) but that God may love us, that we may become objects in which the divine love may rest well pleased.”
I wouldn’t have explained human suffering that way.
But ol’ C.S. certainly had a way with words. And it’s easy to see where his heart was. Which is quite a big deal since he started out a as an atheist. But he also discovered that a good combination of love and logic eradicated all doubt in the evidence for the Creator.
But love from God doesn’t entice most people. And logic, for just about everyone, went out the door a long time ago.
It’s annoying how people who hate Christianity (and Christians) try to use its doctrine instead of their own to try and ridicule or debunk it. But they know their own worldview of complete, blanketed tolerance doesn’t actually work. And one of the biggest reasons is that it means, to be true to their tolerance mantra, they should also tolerate whatever a Christian says or does as simply “doing what he feels is right.”
But they don’t, of course.
If they could just leave it at that, at least they’d be living true to their so-called love for tolerance and diversity. But they’re not interested in merely co-existing. They want wipe out any or evidence or even a notion of a living, loving Creator God. And their goal is NOT to coexist.
It’s to make sure Christians don’t exist.
So, that’s why Christians should stand more boldly and proudly than ever. Be like C.S. Lewis in your own circle of influence. Do your best to expose and invalidate the thoughtless, careless, and loveless doctrines of humanism and self-worship. Both love and pain will be involved. It’ll probably require a little human suffering. So, are you with me?
There will be trials…and tribulation,
In every life…in every nation.
You could give up…but bow your head
And thank your loving Lord instead.
© Tony Funderburk 2010
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