They are corrupt and do horrible deeds; not one of them does anything good."
At first glance, it chills me to the bone. It is only a fool who doesn't believe in God? No one who doesn't believe in God can do good?
I've read several blogs lately (of course now I can't find the links. UGH!) that have balked at the idea that only Christians can truly love. Since God is love, atheists, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, etc cannot love truly, fully. Or so the notion goes. The authors I have read lately talk about parents who loved them but never knew God. And reading their words, I had to agree.
Or, I had to think of my own crisis of faith. Or about the youth I talked to this week (not from KUMC) who was in the middle of her own crisis. Does that mean they will never know love. That they will always be corrupt and do horrible things. That they will never do good. Those are hard pills for me to swallow.
But then I re-read the passage. Fools say in their hearts "There is no God." Is that different than saying it in your mind? More, if Goodness and love is of God, can others do or know it. Maybe we are talking about a higher Good, a higher Love, a higher Truth.
Love is available to all of us. I think there are many good people who don't know God like I do. And there are many people who know God much better than I do. Maybe we are all working through life to truly understand, feel, know, God's abiding, unending, amazing love, grace, and mercy. Maybe we are all trying to reach to do Good, know Love, and find Truth. And we have to settle for goodness, love, and truth.
I think love is available to all--for God is available to all. Whether they know it or not. My prayer continues to be that I can live in such a way that people will know God. Love him. See him. May I always shine His light, so that all will come to know his name.
Blessings and love--
Pastor Emily
2 comments:
I have been witness to how people act when they deny God's existence, and it isn't a pretty picture. With you, I believe His love is available to us all; He's just waiting for us to turn to Him. Yes, this psalm is difficult, but you did a great job dissecting it for us.
Blessings!
Christians have God's example of love to try to follow. We see how much God loves us, each of his creation and it gives us a path to follow to try to love the same way. I think in the time of the psalmist, he saw it either you knew God and his laws or you didn't. Either you tried to do good and follow God's laws or you did what ever you wanted to, whatever was best for you. To him, if you knew God, you would follow his laws and do good. Wish that always worked!
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