The warm sun beat down on Abe and I on that January day when he fired questions at me. His questions were real, from deep within his heart and soul. Abe’s eyes twinkled as he patiently, expectantly waited for answers from me. I was humbled by his questions and even more humbled by his anticipation of an answer that was not academic in nature. Seven year old Abe asked me, “Is God real?”

Is God real?

Though he had done so many signs before them, they still did not believe in him, ³⁸ so that the word spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: "Lord, who has believed what he heard from us, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?" ³⁹Therefore they could not believe. For again Isaiah said, ⁴⁰ "He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, lest they see with their eyes, and understand with their heart, and turn, and I would heal them." ⁴¹Isaiah said these things because he saw his glory and spoke of him. ⁴²Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue; ⁴³ for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God. ⁴⁴And Jesus cried out and said, "Whoever believes in me, believes not in me but in him who sent me. ⁴⁵And whoever sees me sees him who sent me. ⁴⁶ I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness. John 12:37-46

Is God real? We need Jesus to spit in the dirt, place mud on our eyes and open them. “He spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man’s eyes with the mud ⁷and said to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing. John 9

Is God real? We need Jesus to touch our ears. “And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment, and they begged him to lay his hand on him. ³³And taking him aside from the crowd privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and after spitting touched his tongue. ³⁴And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, "Ephphatha," that is, "Be opened." ³⁵ And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. Mark 7:32-35

Is God real? We need Christ to close our minds to the ways of the world that tear us from his mercy and love. We need Christ to draw our eyes to his eyes, away from the distractions that damage our heart and soul. We need Christ to place people in are lives who are real, people who are unashamed to say where they have been because they don’t live there anymore. We need people who are filled with courage to face fears and run toward the Living Lord. We need people who are willing to receive Christ’s touch and guide us toward him.

Is God real?  “Yes, Abe, God is real.” May God grant us courage to receive Christ’s touch and rejoice in the touch of God. May God grant us boldness to touch with Christ’s mercy and love. May God’s peace guard our heart and mind, soul, spirit and body in him to eternity. May his love soften our hearts so we reflect Christ’s love. Blessings IN Christ, Cindy

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