Into the Fire

It isn’t easy to become a “believer”. The process challenges all we can see with our eyes and touch with our hands. It demands we take—as an absolute—the supernatural and embrace it as the most real of all dimensions. It gives us a first account of our original existence, the terrible fall of our kind and the archaic, tainted, and genetic blood inheritance which followed, opening the onslaught for all evil in our souls and on earth.

And if that is not enough in and of itself to swallow as fact, we are confronted with a conversation in the highest heaven which produced an overshadowing by a most holy Spirit to place a God-baby in the womb of a young virgin to be born in Bethlehem. Kings (or Magi) from the Far East, who were keen to the studies of the heavens, noticed the appearance of a grand new star literally exploding in the sky and knew there was a significance to it they could not explain, so they set out with their camels, laden with expensive and symbolic gifts, to discover the “location” of this star’s designation.

Jesus or Immanuel, God with us, was born and laid in a manger in a cave during the census of Bethlehem, his humble parents arriving too late to the crowded city for better lodging. Angels appeared in the skies to tell shepherds, of all people, that the Savior of the world had come. This Jesus child incited all kinds of reactions from all kinds of people. The shepherds traveled to where the star shone perched above the birthplace. The Kings from the East followed that star until they found the child and delivered the treasures they’d carried to him in worship. Another local king gave orders to slaughter boy children two years old and under to keep this Jesus King from eventually becoming a threat to his governorship.

The story hasn’t changed over the centuries. It’s an historical account from beginning to the end which is before us all. Oh sure there have been manmade religions sprouting from all over the world and offshoots of this Old and New Testament, picking and choosing particular facets to embrace and to construct a new, inventive doctrine. The process for doing so isn’t new.

And that can be the problem with the supernatural. If one isn’t careful, he can be sucked into the dark side of it. There most certainly is an evil angle to all of the conflicts involving faith.

Who can explain the aspects of real Christianity to an unbeliever and convince them of its Truth? No man can. Only the Holy Spirit is able to invite an individual to look at Jesus Christ for him/herself and urge them to investigate the claims of believers to determine if this Jesus is who He says He is. Only God can draw them to listen to the urging. Man is incapable of getting anybody “saved”. We can be used to invite, explain, and demonstrate Christianity, but we are limited. However God intends to use us is what we’re responsible for. Beyond that: “Apart from [God], I can do nothing.”

So, it’s understandable when an individual reacts to the Truth with disbelief. It does sound unbelievable. However, if an individual is willing to use that tiny deposit of faith within him—that simple faith he uses to admit there are stars beyond what telescopes have found, depths beyond what man can reach, brain power beyond what man can measure or define—if a person will stand alone in a place of his choosing and with an open heart and mind, address the God of all creation asking Him to reveal Himself, He will . . . because He has spoken through His word that if a person seeks Him with his whole heart, He will be found.

Suddenly, the unbelievable changes. There is an ability to realize things which were unexposed before the heart was opened. A transformation takes place. Truth becomes bigger than expected. Life is different. Yes, and more real in so many ways. Things that never made sense begin to be understood. It’s only the beginning, and the questions go on for as long as one lives, but many of them which couldn’t be answered before knowing Jesus now have substantial explanations. The inexplicable becomes reality.

The handbook for life, the manual for living as the Bible is often called, supplies the Words of God Himself and provides enough mystery to let us know we will never get to the end of who He is. He is and was and always will be.

Once you know Him, you just know. Jesus is real.

Jesus, you made yourself known to me many years ago and have been continuously speaking to me and reassuring me ever since. I love you, Lord. I’m desperate for you. For my every need I come to you, asking in your Name, knowing you hear me. You are my Savior. Glory to God.