The Scriptures say in one of the more famous portions of the Bible (1Corith13) that we see through darkened glass. In other words, we can see God with the spiritual eye but it’s not perfectly clear. The lens is dirty in a sense. It’s dirty with the corruption of the world, with doubts, with fears, with our flawed capacity to comprehend God and so on. It’s darkened by our own selfish natures. Nevertheless, we can see.
"I was blind but now I see", the familiar line in Amazing Grace is the anthem of the Christian life. Someone described the experience of becoming a Christian as "waking up from the longest dream". Scripture describes it literally as a new birth, a second birth, being raised out of spiritual death. The part of us that vitally connects with and communes with God is broken until this awakening occurs. In other words, we are born dead, closed off to God, darkened.
But even in this darkened state we know that there is a God. All of nature preaches to us. The eternal nature of God is perceived, our conscience points to a Maker that cares about what is wrong and what is right. We are born with an ache, a longing to know God and be at peace with him. Sadly, most people have bought into the big fat lie that God is unknowable.
Sometimes I feel like I am going to near lose my mind living in this Northeast urban environment. The unspoken rule is that you aren’t supposed to talk to people about your religion and certainly should never try to convert someone. Jesus said that until we are in Him we are out in the open and uncovered. There is a day of wrath coming that will consume all who are not in Christ. So many are not ready. They think they are good enough but the fact is that no one is good enough. The only ones ready are those hidden in Christ. I want to get on a rooftop and plead with people to come under the covering of Jesus while there is still time !!! Sort of like the crazy guy that pleaded with people for 120 years to get into a big boat and be saved from the coming flood.
If I did that I might be sawn in two like Isaiah was. Or thrown into a cistern like Jeremiah. Or maybe I’d be stoned like Stephen or beaten with rods like Paul? Maybe I’d just be quietly ignored and considered a lunatic like Noah? Or maybe I’d be crucified like Jesus? At some point I think followers of Jesus in this region will not be able to keep silent anymore. Compassion will drive their mouths open. And many will say, “If I perish, I perish”. - Scott A