Providence Points: Get Into My Head
shawn...@gmail.com
Biblical, Devotional & Informational
July 9, 2007
Vol. 2, No. 11
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>From the Editor:
Greeting from a man hiding in air-conditioning in this thus-far hot
summer! Earlier this year I was privileged to witness to some
students at the campus in Denver. I evangelized about five student
over a three and one half hour in the middle of the hot day. It was
time to put my money were my mouth was. Most of them were somewhat
open to at least listening to my talks. Almost all of them expressed
some believe in a "higher power." And all of them did not understand
Christianity very well or simply identified it with nationally known
nuts. Pray that more opportunities will arise this summer and fall
semesters.
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Get Into My Head
The heat was palpable. Feeling the sun beat upon my head, I quickly
surveyed my surrounding in the middle of the campus. Trees dotted the
landscape, but concrete structures dominated the scenery. All the
pathways encouraged the reflection of sun, increasing the heat about
me, distracting me as I struggled to listen:
"But I cannot accept a God who would send people to hell just because
they don't agree
with him," she persisted. Sitting on the curb near the center of the
square, she stared at me intently, trying to grasp an ethereal idea as
foreign to her as living the life of an earthworm.
"I understand your point, but I think it is misdirected," I cautiously
replied. Handling the Bible in my hand, seeking out the book of
Romans while attempting eye contact, I fumbled when an another loud
riding-lawn mower passed by in the background-the third in so many
minutes.
As a dutiful soldier, I marched on: "Try to get into my head; try to
understand where Christianity is coming from. We believe that all
mankind fell in Adam: when he sinned we all sinned. So everyone is
born a sinner, acting out their rebellious nature. When a Christian
says that those who reject Christ are going to hell, we say that
because they deserve hell."
"OK," she slowly replied.
"It is like our own culture: if someone were a murderer or a traitor,
they would be punished. There is no talk of 'fairness' and the like:
they get what they deserve: death. So all mankind, as Romans 1:18ff.
states, already deserve death. God, their Judge, is under no
obligation to save anyone." Knowing the importance of the Word, I
proceeded to read that section of Romans, slowly and deliberatively,
adding short explanatory statements as needed.
"Interesting: men are without excuse. So God sends missionaries to
tell the unbelievers about the possibility of salvation in Christ; He
does not just let them be," she mused out loud.
"Yes-so you see from the Christian worldview, it is not merely men not
"agreeing" with God, it is rebellious terrorists rejecting the rule of
Law and the Law's Judge."
A new look entered her eyes: thoughtfulness. "That makes sense. Let
me think about that...you certainly have a different approach than
simply smashing my head in with the Bible. You tried to understand my
position as well."
I allowed her into my world, my head. Now I pray the Spirit to enter
her heart.
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"When a certain rhetorician was asked what was the chief rule in
eloquence, he replied, 'delivery'; what was the second rule,
'Delivery'; what was the third rule, 'Delivery'; so if you ask me
concerning the precepts of the Christian religion, first, second,
third, and always I would answer, 'Humility.'" Augustine