1 John 4:12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. (ESV)
Throughout my many years in ministry, I’ve recognized that the invisibility of God is a problem for some people. Because He cannot be seen in person, they refuse to accept God’s existence. If He were to turn up one day and walk among us, then they would have no problem in believing that God is alive. Until that happens, however, they will simply not believe.
But God isn’t invisible; His existence is seen in the lives of many people. As the Apostle John wrote long ago, ‘God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.’ This means that if we want to convince someone else that God is alive, then they need to see Him in us. If God’s love is perfected in us, then it should be apparent to others in our relationships and through our deeds. If we sincerely care for others, show compassion, and share love to the world, then we will display God’s existence. However, if we present to the world disdain, indifference, and dishonesty, then God will never be seen by those around us.
So, perhaps next time when we hear from someone or read in a post that they don’t believe in God because He cannot be seen, let’s not argue or get into an online debate, Instead, let’s try to show God’s perfect love through what we say, write, or do because those will be more effective than scoring over others with theological or Biblical points.
Q: Do I believe that God abides in me? Do others recognize this?
Prayer: Lord God, help us to be open to Your love and grant us opportunities to show Your compassion to those we encounter today. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.
Today’s image is one of John’s latest drawings called “Fall Communion.” If you would like to view a larger image, click here.