I was stunned when I found out that my neighbor is an atheist. She's beautiful, funny, intelligent, educated, well read and all of those other things that make her a remarkable young woman, yet she doesn't believe in God.
A little while back, her father was fighting cancer. She shared what he had endured and I told her that all I could do was to pray for him. She smiled kindly, furrowed her brow a little and said she didn't believe in God. I looked over at her little girl --- so perfect and healthy --- and remembered the infertility struggles my neighbor had suffered. I don't know about you but I believe that the intrinsic mystery of the creation of life screams, "Yes, neighbor-friend, there is a God."
As I went about my day my neighbor's admission felt like gum stuck to the bottom of my shoe. It didn't feel right. I didn't feel right. I tried to imagine what she saw whenever she watched a sunset or what did she hear as she listened to the sound of rain. How could she not believe in the Creator God? You see, I would like for everyone to know the God that I know, to believe the same way I do but, the more I thought about it the more I realized that it actually takes more faith for me to believe what I believe than it does for her to not believe at all.
I believe in a Power/Force --- not human, not mineral, not animal --- that exists "out there" somewhere far away but, not far at all. He is able to see and hear each person in the universe and He knows, intimately, more about us than we can imagine. I believe that He took the form of a human, was born to a young virgin girl in the humblest of dwellings and that this child grew up to become the greatest man who ever walked the Earth. And that through this perfect child I am able to live a life of purpose, promise and peace. Sounds insane doesn't it?
Perhaps, as insane as the millions of people who all are of like mind on this one single day in December to celebrate/observe/recognize the miracle birth of this Holy child.
Merry Christmas, friends.
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