"I don't know, but I know who does..."

Everyone is looking for meaning in their life.  Simon Sinek calls it the "Why."  The problem often is that they look in the wrong places.   When the answers don't come, they get frustrated.  That frustration turns to fear. They ask, "Why doesn't my life have meaning?"  Fear almost always turns into anger.  It is how humans behave.  The anger will often turn into hatred, prejudice, et. al. It will look for someone or something to blame. They will blame politicians, religious leaders, religion and faith systems, almost anything but themselves. It is why there have always been every kind of self-help gurus, new/old age mysticisms, religions, science, Utopic philosophies, false prophets, etc.  I am not pointing fingers.  I can't. Too often, I have fallen into that evil cycle myself.

We want answers and if the answers are truths we do not wish to accept or face, we vehemently reject them to the point of being hateful, condescending, and derisive towards those who do.  The other big problem is that there has been some glaringly bad examples of so-called proponents of those truths.

Most of you know that I have not kept it a secret that I am a born again Christian.  That I believe that the Holy Bible is the inerrant Word of God.  I believe that mankind was created by a perfect God in His image.  I believe that when Adam sinned, he brought death into the world and everything that God had given him dominion over became subject to death as well. Not just physical death but spiritual death, in which we were/are separated from God.  But God loved His creation, us, so much that He started a plan for us to be reconciled to Him.  The rule He set from the beginning was that the wages of sin is death. Spiritual (eternal) and physical (limited lifetime).  He also knew that we could not pay the price for our sin. So He became one of us, lived a sinless life among us, and died for us in the way which was reserved for the most heinous of crimes, crucifixion. The price for all sin was paid.  After 3 days He rose from the grave and walked the earth again before ascending back into heaven.  All who truly believe this and proclaim that belief and have accepted the gift He freely gives will be set free from the burden and shackles of their sin and eventually will spend eternity with Him.  Most people in the western world know the story.  Many have believed it, unfortunately, many have rejected it.

So why am I stating this? I am commanded to love God with all my heart, soul, strength, and mind. I am not as successful at that as I would have it.  I am also commanded to love my neighbor as myself. Again, not as successful at it as many who are. You, who are reading this, are my neighbors.  I don't have all the answers. I can't.  It has not been for the lack of trying either.  I have a bachelors degree in Chemistry, a math minor, and a Masters degree in Physical Chemistry (the Physics of Chemistry).  I have a patent for the stabilization of high energy materials to be used as a possible rocket fuel.  Science FAILED to give me the answers I was seeking. I tried martial arts for a short time as well.  No success there either.  I briefly tried music. Nope.  I tried writing.  It was and is a nice creative outlet but did not bring me answers.  What did? Faith. Not blind faith. That only goes so far and ignores the gifts that God has given me.  Faith in an omnipotent, omniscient, omni-present creator who exists outside of time, but considers me a child of His.  Take a moment and consider what that means.  Even if I can't find the answers, and some maybe I/we should not have, He does.  He is perfect and absolute in ways that I cannot possibly understand and may never.  He has made Himself known to me, and I have surrendered my will to His.

The problem that presents itself is that too many of those whom also professed this knowledge and relationship have either used it to oppress and suppress people to their own glory as well as have misinterpreted the Word, the Holy Bible, the guidebook He gave us, to proclaim their own brand of truth.  Notice I said misinterpreted, NOT mistranslated.  Please do not make the mistake of equating them.  The Bible has been translated correctly.  That argument is for another posting in the future.  Anyway, those people have been very visible, and the enemy, yes there is an enemy, Satan, and his cohorts, spiritual as well as physical, had/has either corrupted them from their beginning or somewhere along the way, and is very active in trying to do so, often succeeding.  The last thing he wants is for God the Father, to enjoy a loving relationship with His children.

Many have asked me, "How can you, an intelligent, well educated scientist, possibly believe this? How can you think that something as simple as faith can give answers and guide you through life? Life is so hard and yet you have deluded yourself."  Maybe I have.  Faith is simple but not easy. But really, even if I am so deluded, and many others are as well, how bad can it be for us to try and put the needs of others first? For us to try and lead quiet productive lives and serve others? To help people see that there really is more to life than their current suffering, to offer hope? Are we perfect? No. Do we fail? Yes, often miserably. But we have a perfect Father that allows a path to be forgiven so that we are not held captive by our failure.  It is that captivity where the devil wants us to remain. You may ask yourself or tell yourself that you don't need forgiveness.  OK.  Are you so absolutely sure that you would risk an eternity of torment without relief to prove your point?  Maybe you tell yourself you can't be forgiven.  A perfect God who loves perfectly can and does forgive. Even the horrible things you may have done and have held you captive to guilt and shame. He and He alone is the only one who can forgive you.

So why not take the risk, and accept His gift of freedom, peace, and restoration to Him as well as eternal life with Him?  Even if it is foolishness in the eyes of the wise, wouldn't you rather be with people who tried to love freely, serve freely, and refrain from judgement, than continue to be frustrated by questions, situations, or self deprecations, to which you can't and probably won't find the answers, but still many answers are given? Think about it.  The decision/choice is yours, but if you feel Him calling, listen to it and answer.