[This reflection by Michael Goble was published in the weekly news bulletin of Horley Baptist Church, 20/Oct/2024]
Last week we returned from a visit to Alnwick in Northumberland, as part of our celebrations for our 60th wedding anniversary. As we would be going to travel north, our daughter, Wendy, arranged to visit a retired minister and his wife who had been our friends for years. He had married Wendy and Nick 30 years ago. After lunch, we then reminisced together and we were saddened to learn that he had lost his faith and no longer went to church with his wife, whose faith was still strong.
They had experienced a number of tragedies and hurts in their lives, and he doubted the existence of God as he thought about the terrible troubles in the world, particularly in Israel and the Middle East. The only thing I could do was to remind him how he was chosen by God to do marvellous things in his ministry and how he had strengthened my faith as our pastor.
The day after we saw them, we went to a second hand bookshop in Alnwick, Barter Books, which we had seen earlier on television. In the “religious” section I saw a classic Christian book, “What the Bible is all about”. It was on a stand in the middle of a shelf and hit me in the eye. I opened the book at a page where the author gives a message based on Habakkuk 3 that described a vision of God that we today would find difficult to understand. The author explained that we cannot grasp the thoughts and actions of God, but there would be a day when God explains His plans to us. “His thoughts are above our thoughts, and His ways above our ways” [Isaiah 55 v9].
When we grasp this we can still continue to have faith in Him. As soon as I saw what was written I believed that this and other things the author wrote was a message from God to him, and also to me. I wrote to him with a copy of the page and I pray that this will be a step in the renewal of the faith of our dear friend.
Incidentally, my daughter read a verse in a devotion the day after we saw them that answered one of his doubts. A few days later the same devotional reading asked her to pray for someone who once followed God with joy who has now lost their trust and has turned away. Does God exist? Of course He does. These are not coincidences. God knows what we are going through and speaks to us in His Word and our experiences giving answers to our worries and doubts. Praise Him!
There may be times when events in our lives give rise to doubts that fight against our faith, but we must always remember that, “We know that all that happens to us is working for our good if we love God and are fitting into His plans” [Romans 8 v28].
We can gain encouragement from the faith of Habakkuk when he says, “Even though the fig trees are all destroyed, and there is neither blossom left nor fruit, and though the olive crops all fail, and the fields lie barren; even if the flocks die in the fields and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will be happy in the God of my salvation” [Habakkuk 3 v17-18].
May each one of us be filled with faith and trust in God, who is always faithful to us.
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Last Sunday’s reflection: Lessons From A Day Out At The Museum by David Makanjuola
Contributed by Michael Goble; © Michael Goble