Why Doesn’t God Reveal Himself More Clearly to Everyone?
Introduction
Maybe you’ve heard the skeptic say, “If God showed himself clearly, then I would believe.” Maybe you’ve wondered about this yourself. Why all the mystery? Why doesn’t God just write his name in the sky and be done with it?
The answer has everything to do with: Love.
What is Love?
In prior posts we’ve looked at the nature of love, particularly God’s love for us. It’s a sweet, pure, deep and authentic love. In fact, the Bible tells us that God actually is love (1 John 4:7-8). And he loves everyone in the whole world (John 3:16).
From the very beginning, God simply wanted us to love him in return. But he doesn’t force anyone to love him, because a forced love is no love at all. By its very nature, love must be a choice. So God gave us all a wonderful gift: the freedom to choose.
Now if God suddenly appeared and wrote his name in the sky, wouldn’t that be interfering with our freedom to choose? If God did this, we would see feigned love all over the world. No, this is not the character of God. God is not going to compel anybody to believe in him or love him through some show of force.
Hints, Love Notes, and Reminders
To explain, I like to borrow an illustration from Frank Turek. My female readers may relate to this the most, but I think we can all understand.
Ladies, suppose you knew a guy who really liked you. A lot. In fact, you could tell that he had a crush on you. But you just didn’t feel the same way about him. Despite this, he didn’t give up.
He kept contacting you and showing up in all the wrong places. It was awkward at first. Then it became very uncomfortable. He wouldn’t take “no” for an answer. Now, if that guy really cared about you, wouldn’t he leave you alone?
That’s how God is. He leaves us alone. He gives us the freedom to choose.
Now, that guy might stay in touch. He might send you a note or a card every once in a while, just to let you know he’s there. God does the same thing.
God will send people or circumstances into our lives that are far beyond coincidence. How about that friend or family member who loves God, and has been waiting for you to ask about it? Or what about that situation in your life that’s telling you that God might be trying to get your attention? Remember, he cares about you.
These little coincidences can be very personal, just between you and God. Other people would never be able to fully understand, even if you tried to explain. These things have happened to me. In fact, I’m not sure if there really is such a thing as coincidence anymore. Sometimes you have to ask, “what are the odds?”
Could It Be That God Has Revealed Himself Already?
Maybe we’re asking God to show himself on our terms, when he already has in other ways. The Bible tells us that God reveals himself clearly to everyone on earth every day. Roughly three thousand years ago, Israel’s King David wrote:
The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known. They speak without a sound or word; their voice is never heard. Yet their message has gone throughout the earth, and their words to all the world. (Psalm 19:1-4 NLT).
I think it’s a good point. Doesn’t the physical world all around us tell us that some thing or some one incredibly intelligent must be responsible?
A friend of mine says that when he sees a building, he knows there’s an architect. When he sees a painting, he knows there’s a painter.
My personal opinion is that looking at the world around us and believing there is no such thing as God is like walking through a beautiful museum filled with spectacular paintings and believing there is no such thing as a painter.
I’ll not forget a story that I heard from one young woman years ago. She recounts that sitting on the lawn in a park one day, she happened to pluck a blade of grass and carefully look at it. In that moment, she was suddenly struck by a powerful sense of the presence of God. Instantly she knew that God exists. A blade of grass was enough.
So we should ask ourselves: has God not done enough? In asking for more, are we demanding that God comply with our terms?
Then Again, Are We Forgetting Someone?
If the Bible is true and the Christian worldview is right, then God revealed himself in an incredibly profound way two thousand years ago.
Jesus, born into humble circumstances, would grow up and claim to be God descended from heaven. He purposefully died to rescue every one of us from our sinful state. And he rose from the dead, proving that everything he said and claimed was true.
This may have been two thousand years ago, but the evidence that it really happened is remarkably well preserved to this day.
Conclusion
It all comes down to a very personal, private decision for every one of us. Are we going to admit that God exists? Or are we going to stubbornly hang on to unbelief? And for what reason?
You may be reading this knowing that you don’t know God, but you want to. Can I encourage you to consider that God knows you and he cares about you? He knows what you’ve been through, even if nobody else does. Why not make a decision to pursue him today? If you look for him with all your heart, you will find him.