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Church Bulletin Essay

It Simply Is

Do I dare believe, God, that really you are as great as the
Bible says?
That all power and all knowledge come from you?
That you perform miracles and whatever your wisdom orders?

Do I dare believe you can and really will help me through any problem?
With any need?

Do I dare believe you are here right now?

My intellect, reason, skepticism ask.

I think of Dostoevski's The Brothers Karamozov. One chapter tells a
story set in 15th century Seville, Spain. In the chapter story Jesus
Christ returns to visit and is imprisoned as a heretic by the Grand
Inquisitor. That same night the Inquisitor goes to His cell to question
Him. He wants to know why when He lived on earth before Christ re-
sisted the three temptations of the evil one. During lengthy ques-
tioning, Christ does not speak. But He looks at the Inquisitor
with infinite love in His eyes. The point of the story is that the
Inquisitor represents the intellectual, or reason; Christ represents the
spiritual, or faith. Christ does not answer the Grand Inquisitor
because, states Nancy Palmer, professor, "Faith can't be debated; it
simply is."

So that is it, Lord! That is why no one can prove to the
non-believer or skeptic that You exist.
That You are all-powerful. That You can meet their needs. That You
can solve their problems.
Faith cannot be debated; it simply is

One chooses to believe in You through faith. In time experience
teaches that You give insight.
You send help at the right time. You lift the burden. You share
humor in a crisis.
You are really as great as the Bible says.

My faith, experience know.

Bernice Beard

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