Part Two

The famous author, H.G. Wells, once observed, “If there is no God, nothing matters.” His statement was the topic of my previous “Does God Exist?” article. Previous articles are always available online at http://www.webbweekly.com.

Wells’s quote included a second observation: “If there is a God, nothing else matters.”

Remember, only one person can answer the question, “Does God exist?” That person is you. God does not have grandchildren. Our belief, or lack thereof, cannot be attributed to, blamed on, or passed along by anyone else. Our God-choice is ours to make. Just be aware that your decision will have a profound effect on your life.

Wells’ statement is based on the obvious. If almighty God exists, then living fully in His presence is vitally important. Why?

First, because God is sovereign, there is nothing greater than God, and nothing exists outside of His sovereignty. There are no boundaries limiting His kingdom. Everything belongs to God, and everything is under His authority – including us. To live at peace with God, we must yield to His sovereign authority.

Second, because God is eternal. He is without beginning or end. Because He created us in His image, we, too, were designed for eternity. We know intuitively that death does not belong in our story. To live at peace with God, we must live in His presence both now and forever.

Third, because God is the Creator. All that exists, all we can see and touch, has divine purpose. To live at peace with God, we must be live within His divine purpose.

Fourth, because God is light. There is no darkness in God. None. He is light, and He has made us to live and thrive in light. To live at peace with God, we must be filled with His light, and we must walk in His light.

Fifth, because God is love. By definition, love is relational. Every action of God is motivated by love. To live at peace with God, our every action must be motivated by love for Him and for each other.

Look at the condition of humanity throughout history. It reveals a fundamental problem: humans are not living in the presence of God. The result is evil, darkness, chaos, suffering, hatred and hopelessness.

The question is often asked, “Where did evil come from?” It sounds like a profound question, but if God exists, then evil isn’t a thing that had to be created. Evil is simply the absence of God’s presence – the absence of all that is good.

Darkness, as we comprehend it, is the absence of light. Evil is the absence of good. Light and good exist because God is the source of light and good. Where God is rejected, evil and darkness are the result.

The presence of God dispels darkness and evil. Does that sound like an oversimplification of a complex problem? It’s not. Consider your own life. When light and love increase in your life, the people around you experience increasing good. When light and love decrease in your life, the people around you experience decreasing good.

It is a simple design: the presence of God increases light and good. If you decide to complicate or reject God’s design, then that’s on you. It indicates that you are unwilling to live under the sovereignty of the God of Light and Love. The result is increasing darkness and evil in and around your life. You can argue all you want with the simplicity of God’s design, but it won’t change the reality of it.

Don’t take my word for it. Do a little self-evaluation. Consider the following words. Which ones are more descriptive of your current life? The words describe extremes; I’m just asking you to consider which ones your life is leaning toward. Take a pen and circle them: Peace/Stress. Love/Strife. Light/Darkness. Good/Evil. Purpose/Meaninglessness. Clarity/Confusion. Freedom/Bondage. Abuse/Safety. Hope/Fear. Unity/Division.

Do your answers reveal a pattern? Is your life leaning toward light and love or toward darkness and evil? Friend, if God exists, and you are rejecting His presence, then you are rejecting the only thing that really matters in life. That’s what Wells meant by “nothing else matters.”

It doesn’t have to be that way. God’s grace is drawing you toward light and love right now. How do I know that? Well, you’re still reading this article. If God wasn’t drawing you, I doubt you would have made it past the title. But you are still reading. Why? Is there something missing in your life? Are you tired of hopelessness and meaninglessness? Do guilt and regret rob you of peace and quiet? Are you longing for something more?

My friend, there is a God. He is the source of light and love. He is drawing you right now. Believing He exists and believing He loves you and has a purpose for your life is the beginning of a life defined by the light and love of His presence.

If God is drawing you, then talk to Him. Let Him know you believe He exists. He’s waiting to hear from you.

Does God exist? It’s your decision to make. I’m praying you say yes.