If You're Real

 I had only heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes.  Job 42:5

I recently heard the story of author and speaker Cristina Baker when she told of her journey from deep darkness to life in Jesus Christ. She related how she had grown up in an abusive and atheistic family. In her early teen years she turned to a lifestyle of drug use that led ever deeper into hopelessness and despair. She had a child and a job, but her drug use was only increasing, and she became suicidal. She said she was sitting at her workstation one morning and decided that later that evening, she would take her own life. She felt that everyone, including her child, would be better off if she were gone. Soon after she felt a tap on her shoulder, and a co-worker said that he felt led to invite her to a prayer gathering he and other employees would be having during lunch break. She went, and when she got there, she saw people engaged in prayer. Truly engaged in prayer. She said her first thought was that if there really was a God, these people must surely know Him. God was working. Though she made no move towards Him, she decided to not take her life.

Some more time passed, and her life only became more broken. In her brokenness, she cried out to Him, "God, if you're real, please help me." She related how she just had the sense in her spirit of the Father speaking to her saying, "I have been waiting for you to give Me such an invitation. Let Me show you how real I am." She said that immediately she felt a supernatural presence of life and power enter into her being. Christ had come into her life and the heavy chains of drug addiction and suicidal thoughts were broken. So began her journey from darkness, death, and despair, into light, life, and wholeness. Like Job, the God she had heard about became visible to the eyes of her heart and spirit. He had answered her prayer. He was real. He is real. Do you know that? Do you know it now?

I tell all that story because there are so many, both among those who profess to believe in Him, and those who are living far from Him, who, spoken or unspoken, want to know if He is real. Maybe you're one of them. Maybe life has gotten to the place where everything is against you, nothing makes sense anymore, and all you want to do is give up. You may not wish to take your own life, but you've decided to stop trying to live. You'll just live waiting to die. But in the midst of it all is that question for Him, "If You're real...." 

As He stood before the life of Cristina Baker, He stands before you. In the midst of your doubts, your fears, your disappointment, your despair, He waits for your invitation for Him to prove to you how real He is. He delights in doing so. He won't respond to arrogant demands that He prove Himself, but He will always reveal Himself to the broken and seeking heart. To your heart and to mine. Would you, in your brokenness, invite Him to show Himself real to you right where you are today? His Word says that He gives us a hope that will not disappoint. The miracles He worked in Cristina Baker's life, in my life, and in the lives of countless others who cried out to Him from the darkness, will be worked out in yours as well. All you need to do is extend the invitation. He will do the rest.

Blessings,
Pastor O