Gospel

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I have a friend who has been a smoker for quite some time but has recently given up. Three weeks down and her children are her biggest fan club. "Mum, you won't look so bad when you are older if you don't smoke". "Mum, you really are a good example to us if you don't smoke". "Remember you will live longer Mum, if you don't smoke".

For most who read this note, smoking is a mysteriously stupid pastime that non-smokers cannot fathom. It looks so revolting! But as a reformed smoker (twenty- six years in remission), I have a rather different point of view. Smokers are actually wonderful human beings who through bad choices as teenagers, or through the poor example of their parents, or for whatever reason, took up smoking and it has become part of their physical, emotional and chemical balance. Most smokers are deeply addicted and need our encouragement and support.

But here is the really interesting bit of this email. I asked my friend how she felt when she saw ads on the television encouraging her to quit smoking. Ads that reminded her that smoking was toxic, addictive, destructive and in short, deadly. "Oh" she said, " that was easy. Whenever one of those ads came on, I simply changed the channel". She could not refute the truth, so it was easier, for too long, to simply hide.

When it comes to spiritual truths, occasionally I find myself in a situation with an unbeliever or doubter who wants to probe, think, ponder and maybe even argue. Frankly, I always enjoy and appreciate such engagements. But sadly, my impression is that spiritually, most of the time people who don't believe simply grab the remote and change the channel whenever the topics of God, the Bible, meaning, values and death, raise their ugly heads. But denial, in the end, is just that. God does not go away because we ignore him. We can skill ourselves in the business of life so that the eternal questions that plague every human soul never have a chance to surface. But the truth is still the truth - whether we seek or whether we hide.

The good news is that my friend is still off the fags. She now watches the ads and is glad she has her children to cheer her on. My prayer is that unbelievers will face up to the good news and the bad news about God. The good news is that there is a God who wants to forgive us and restore us to his friendship and family. The bad news is that if we miss that opportunity we are headed for a Godless life and a hellish eternity.

So don't hide - seek!

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. Matthew 7:7

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