Last night, lying in bed, I was reading “Finding God in the Waves”, written by Mike McHargue, when God moved on my heart and I began to weep, as my heart resonated with some of Mike’s experiences.
A World of Doubt
We live in a world of doubt and skepticism. It is difficult to trust anyone’s word anymore. Many people are living double lives. So many mouths say the proper words, but the tone of those words ring hollow.
Wounded Christians
Many Christians have left the church due to bruising and wounds received from their pastor or elders; becoming the latest gossip of the congregants. Others have refused to attend after seeing and hearing how pastors, elders and church members behave; one way inside church walls and another way outside.
Serious Questions
Others have serious questions about God’s existence, and His care for a world full of corruption, violence, evil and suffering. How can God who is love, allow so much hate to exist among his creation?
Mike McHargue says 44% of Americans will go through a major faith transition in their lives.
Mike grew up in a Christian home, with the whole family deeply involved in their church. He believed in Christ when he was 7 years old. When his parents decided to divorce, his world fell apart, and his faith in God began to unravel.
His book, “Finding God in the Waves” is his story about how he started out as Christian, lost his faith, and then regained it again; while still allowing himself to doubt and question his God. (He calls himself, “Science Mike”)
Mike lets us know that if we doubt, we are not alone, and that God is still there just as He has always been waiting for us to commune with Him; wherever we are.
The Bible also has those men and women of God who doubted and questioned God. Thomas, Gideon and Sarah are three that come to mind.
Thomas said, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.” (John 20:25)
Gideon said, “Please, my lord, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us?” (Judges 6:13)
Sarah said, “How could a worn-out woman like me enjoy such pleasure, especially when my master–my husband–is also so old?” (Genesis 18:12)
After years of doubting and struggling to embrace atheism after being such a devout Christian, Mike attends a meeting held by Rev. Rob Bell who uses science as a means to speak about God.
Communion was offered at the end of the meeting and Mike found himself going forward to partake. As he was handed the bread, he found himself turning away, deciding not to partake, when he heard a voice say,
“I was here when you were eight, and I am here now.”
Mike froze in place. Memories flooded his mind of all the times God had been with him and blest him. He took the bread and the wine and rushed from the room with tears streaming down his face.
He found himself at the ocean at 3 in the morning. He started to pray;
“God I don’t know who or what you are. I don’t know what your relationship to the Bible is. I can’t unlearn all the things that made me believe you aren’t real. They’re still there, and they tell me you can’t exist. If you’re real, if you have consciousness, will, and power, tell me:
How can I be here? Why did you bring me to California to learn about you from a famous preacher, while right now children are starving to death all over the world? Why answer one mom’s prayer, when another mother’s prayer that her child be spared from warlords goes unanswered?
God that doesn’t seem like love. That seems like evil. How can you just watch and do nothing? People are hurting and dying down here.
Look, I can’t promise to accept the Bible now. I can’t say I’ll swear to keep its commandments. Some of them are archaic and brutal. Some of them are absurd anachronisms.
But I do like talking to you again. I feel you near me again, and I missed that, God. I don’t want to be away from you anymore.
So, let’s make a deal. I will try to do the best I can to do good in this world. I will serve others, and I will work against suffering. But I have to keep asking these questions about your justice and mercy. And I can’t forget about science.
Let’s just keep talking about this, You and I. I don’t ever want to be away from you again. I can’t do that anymore. All I know is, I met Jesus tonight.”
Mike says, “When I said the word Jesus, the waves rushed toward me. I was standing high up on the beach, 25 feet or more from the waves, but the water still rushed up and over my feet-all the way up to my shins. I thought about what Rob had said: that Christ’s last act of service before His crucifixion was to wash the feet of His followers.
Mike questioned, “Is that you, God? Is this really happening?” “And the whole world fell away, like the veil lifted from the face of a bride on her wedding day. I could see what I can only call the glory of God on the other side, I felt God with me, in me and through me, I connected to the Source of Life and the Source of all.”
If you have ever wondered if your prayers do any good, if God ever shows up, if there is really a purpose to this life, I recommend that you read Mike’s book. It spoke to me as I recalled all the visions, dreams and personal experiences I have had with the Lord, assuring me that it is ok to doubt and question our God, and that God can and often does show up unexpectedly, anywhere, and at any time, to reassure you and me that He does love us and is never far away. Just as God gently dealt with Thomas, Gideon and Sarah’s doubts and questions, He deals with mine, He has dealt with Mike’s and He will deal with yours.
“Joshua 1:9, “Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”