Welcome to my randomized study & miscellaneous thoughts about the Awesome God of the universe, who He is and what He wants us to be.

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Verse of the Day

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Today's Quote

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The Question

The last of the sun’s rays had faded minutes before and the only light came from the glowing embers of the campfire’s remains. The stars shone brightly in the summer night sky while a chorus of cicadas serenaded us with their incessant buzz. After a day filled with collecting “fossils,” chasing fireflies and protecting us from a variety of wild jungle creatures, it was nice to have my son starting to settle down and it gave me some time to relax. I sat peacefully in my folding camping chair and watched my son attempt to set fire to his shoelaces while at the same time not getting his feet too hot from the coals. At that moment, all was right with the world!

But then came “The Question.” You know what I’m talking about. The Question is that question that you did not want to hear, were not ready to hear, are never prepared enough to hear but know without a shadow of a doubt that you will hear. Your “The Question” may be different than mine was, but I believe that the terror is the same regardless!

Six year-old son: Daddy?
Me: Yes sonny-boy.
Son: Can I ask you a squestion?
Me: Sure buddy. Ask away.
Son: Does God love everybody?
Me: Well, the Bible tells us that He does. And I believe that He loves everybody.
Son: Okay

Now at first blush, that “The Question” may not seem too startling to you and I must admit that it does appear innocuous enough. That question doesn’t have the feel or the initial impact of the “Where Do Babies Come From” or “Why Does Mommy Kiss You Different Than Me” Questions. Oh, but beware my friend. I know my sonny-boy and I knew that there was trouble brewing inside that innocent little mind of his! And just so, after the obligatory pause to allow the fear to settle down to my bones, the inquisition continued…

Son: Daddy?
Me: Yes sonny-boy.
Son: If God loves eeeeverybody, then why does He let some people die and not go to heaven? If He loved everybody, wouldn’t He want them in heaven with Him?
Me: Well, He does want everyone to be in heaven with Him for eternity. But He loves us so much that He let’s us make our own decision. If we want to be with Him, we just ask Jesus into our hearts like you did remember?
Son: Yes.
Me: But sometimes people make the wrong decision and God let’s them do that too. And some people decide not to ask Jesus into the hearts and they spend eternity away from God.
Son: Oh.


Son: Daddy?
Me: Yes son.
Son: Do you love me?
Me: Of course I do sonny-boy.
Son: Would you let me make a decision that would hurt me for eternity?
Me: Ummmmm….pretty star up there huh son?
Son: Well?
Me: It depends on how hurt you’d be son. I’d let you scrape your knee. I’d let you break a toy. But I don’t think I’d let you cut off an arm or something like that.
Son: Then if God loves everybody, why does He let people make decisions like that?

And WHAM! That’s when the precocious young boy hits me with The Question. A conundrum. A real brain-twister that one is! So, do I tell him that God loves him more than I do? So much so that God gives us free will even allowing us to hurt ourselves? If I cannot comprehend that, how in the world will a six year-old mind? God loves us so much that He freely and willingly gave His own Son to die in our place. He loved us so much that He came to earth, became a man and paid the penalty for my sin. He loves us so much that He offers Himself to live inside of me to guide and teach and direct me into His ways. That’s too much love. But then to think that He also loves me so much that He allows me to tell Him to “get lost!” if I should choose to do so.

Dad: I don’t know son. I guess He just loves us more than we can understand right now.
Son: Oh. Okay.

And so that was that. The stars shone just as brightly in the summer night sky and the cicadas seemed to start into a second verse. At that moment, all was right with the world!

scribbled with crayon by dr. larry at 2:16 PM