The Creator & His Creation

“Tough Questions”

Part 1

Hello friend, I trust you and your families are all doing well. I have taken a break from blogs and social media the past few months to recuperate and rest from the first missions trip. Through it all, my Father has continued to show Himself faithful. Truly, we serve an awesome God!  In my recent travels in Asia I had so many experiences involving tough questions. After trying to cram so much information in one blog I began thinking, its easier to digest a ribeye one bite at a time rather than the whole thing at once. That being said, I decided to write a 3-part series called “The Creator & His Creation; Tough Questions”. This series will deal with certain popular questions that christians are typically asked. I had never personally taken on these questions until recently. Through prayer, diligent research, and spending time pondering these questions, I believe God has revealed answers within His word and I would like to share them with you. This blog is not for me to boast in my own knowledge but rather to give all of the glory to my Lord, Jesus Christ. My hope is that through this, the believer would be encouraged and the lost would begin to think about the deep questions which philosophy and human cognitive reasoning cannot answer. I pray this be used for your encouragement in who God is and maybe even a starting point for your faith in God!  During my missions’ travel I would usually try and converse with whoever I could. Whether it was in the hustle and bustle of the Shin-Osaka Train station or a little town like Seokgye on the outskirts of Seoul. From natural born locals to foreigners from the other side of the world. Typically, the dialogue would start with “do you speak English?” and go from there. I had to learn very basic Japanese & Korean quickly, to attempt speaking with the locals. For the most part anything that went beyond “hello, how are you” usually became quite fruitful. I would normally ask about the person and they would ask about me. Then it would often graduate to matters such as personal faith and beliefs. I recall a few occasions when certain people asked about my beliefs as a missionary, but also my values as a man who grew up in western culture. At times I felt I had answered the questions sufficiently and at other times not so much. I remember specifically one conversation with a young lady while on a bullet train from Osaka to Hiroshima (Japan). I walked from the station platform onto the train, picked my seat by the window and sat down with my backpack in front of me, containing most of my earthly possessions. After the train left the station and had been ‘on the rails’ for a few minutes I turned around and briefly asked if she could speak English, she responded “yes”. Take into consideration, I sometimes wouldn’t have a conversation with people for days due to the language barrier. So whenever someone spoke English and we didn’t need to use a translator I was overly thrilled! I was like a child on Christmas morning, “You speak English?!” I exclaimed. She politely grinned and replied “Yes I think I do”. It was just the ice breaker I needed. She was from London originally, just traveling and exploring eastern Asia. She was on her way to the Hiroshima Airport to fly out that afternoon for Thailand due to inclement weather in Osaka. She then asked me what I was doing in Japan. I always had a hard time getting out the words “Im a missionary” because even though I was a missionary, I wasn’t a “normal” one. I wasn’t with any famous organization, I let my beard grow, my hair was a bit longer and I had quite a few tattoos (Which by the way was always a great conversation starter). So I replied, “Im a missionary, I don’t really know what Im doing but my life was changed by this man named Jesus Christ and I want to tell anyone I can about Him and what He’s done for me.” This led into a discussion lasting about an hour. Turns out she was raised in a Christian household and her grandmother spoke of Jesus frequently. She asked some really tough questions during the discussion. One that I clearly remember was “Why do you believe in something you do not see”? Followed with, “You’re very passionate but that doesn’t make it real”. I explained that even though I cannot see my Father, I know He is real because of the change He has brought about in my life. The invisible becomes visible, the intangible becomes tangible when we surrender to Christ, through faith. I explained how the change in my life is physical proof of an invisible God. We continued talking for a bit then finished up the conversation on a lighter note, discussing travel plans. She and I got off at the Hiroshima station and went our separate ways. As I was leaving I couldn’t help but feel doubt and shame. “I could’ve said it better, more precisely, I could’ve quoted a few verses to back up my reasoning”, I thought. But I was reminded of the scripture where Jesus says *“I came to seek and save the lost.” We are simply to walk with God and whenever the opportunity arises for Him to be known, then **“Let your light shine”. That being said, it is important for us as believers to be ready to give an account for the hope we have.  I’m encouraged by what (Simon) Peter writes in a letter to the persecuted christians in Asia Minor around 60 A.D. “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with gentleness and reverence” (1Peter 3:15) As a follower of Christ we can rest assured that God’s grace covers us, while His Holy Spirit works through us, as we witness to those around us. Whether in our words, our actions, or simply our presence. We must be diligent and intentional in conversation with everyone, especially those who are inquiring ‘about God’, for they might only know ‘of God’. Their curiosity should not be met with a prideful boast of arrogance but a humble and loving answer. In my experience, most of the time the right question is being asked but presented in the wrong way. Nevertheless, we should respond always with love, and if circumstances allow, re-word the question to better tailor the situational understanding of the individual. Also we as believers, should avoid conversations about God that trail off into philosophical or emotionally memorized speeches.  This walk with God is based on FAITH, not carnal comprehension.   References: *Luke 19:10 For the Son of Man (Christ) came to seek and to save the lost. **Matthew 5:16 “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”     Up Next: PART 2  We will do a short study on the first three verses of the Bible in a bit of depth and detail.  Genesis 1:1-3    PART 3  We will finally use our study material encourage ourselves in the validity and the true character of the Word of God but also to answer the following tough questions. 1) Why would a “Perfect God” allow imperfection in His creation? 2) Why do bad things happen to good people?  3) Does God know my pain?   May God bless you as you continue cultivating your relationship with Him