So You Believe In God?

Why?

Sometimes I pose this question to myself, as if I were in a conversation with a friend who had no perspective of the Almighty. Perhaps an athiest, an agnocstic, or an undecided -- as if they wanted to know who I would be voting for in eternity. These conversations are few and far between for some reason.

Today, driving along, musing about my answer to the topic question, I came up with my latest response. It is a good one, I think. Because it is a big idea. I like to avoid using Scripture (did you just gasp in horror or did someone burp?) in my answers to this question. I also like to avoid cliche or box lunch type answers all contained and packaged. So, this answer is one I'm chewing on right now.

Why do I believe in God? Forgiveness. How could that be imitated? How could that be innate? Natural? That is whole-hearted, life-giving evidence of God to me. When hearts soften and then are empowered to forgive another, freedom for the forgiver is often transforming. Sometimes, relationships are healed in time. People grow in capacity and are sometimes able to sincerely forgive someone's criminal behavior toward them. There is no rest nor satisfaction in revenge or unforgiveness.

Forgiveness is a mystical, intangible powerful dynamic. Yet there is tangible evidence of it in action that cannot be denied. That mirrors the presence of God for me in undeniable terms.

For those of us who believe, Christ is the ultimate example of the power of forgiveness. He offered forgiveness of sin to reconcile us to the loving, just God. It ties together for me, yet I may or may not bring our salvation in Christ into a conversation about why I believe in God. And sin -- another topic for discussion, but not today.

Forgiving -- the force that shows me God. And forgetting? Well, that's different.