Mar 17 No God

Mar 17

No God

Ps 14:1 The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.

Translating one language into another is never an exact science. There are words that mean something in one language that are not easily translated into another language. Just think of some of the slang expressions we use in the United States and imagine how people would scratch their heads if it was translated word for word. “Same to ya buddy!” might be translated as “friend, may you have the same thing.”  The same is true in other languages. A man I knew from central Mexico would tell me “The refrigerator needs painting” but when he said it in Mexican people would understand that it meant he was running low on food.

     When we read the King James Bible there are words that are italicized. They represent words not in the original language but have been added to help people who read English to understand the translation more fully. But I sometimes like to read verses without the italicized words. For instance, in our verse for today the words “there is” are in italics. If we omit them when we read, it changes the meaning, but I don’t think it does any harm to the sense of the verse.

“The fool has said in his heart, No God” 

     A person who does not believe in God is called an atheist. By the way, did you know there is a dial a prayer number for atheists? When you call it no one answers!

     *An atheist does not spend any time during his working hours thinking about God. He does not spend any leisure time thinking about God either. He spends money, buys things, takes vacations, goes to work and returns home with no thought of God. He lives his life as though God did not exist. He does not pray, only goes to church for a wedding or funeral, and gives no money to missions. He may be moral, may help the poor, might be active in his community, and is an otherwise fine person. But God is not in his thoughts, his daily life, or evident in anything he does or says. 

    But our verse does not call this man an atheist. It says if a man says in his heart there is no God, he is a fool. But how can that be since some highly educated people deny the existence of a creator or a higher power that interacts with humans.

    Ro 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

Step outside on a starry night and gaze at the stars. Look at a rainbow. Consider how a worm becomes a beautiful butterfly. My English lit teacher in high school had the right idea. When it came time to study the writings of Darwin and his “Origin of Species”, she simply said to read it, and then go outside, take a handful of dirt and turn it into a tulip, a pink one.

Ro 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise,

they became fools,

People who have chosen to reject any notion of God may think they have superior knowledge, but God says their heart is darkened and they have become fools. They were not born as fools, but by choosing to not accept God and create vain imaginations (junk science) they became fools. It was a process.

Ro 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

There isn’t much hope for those who are willfully ignorant, apart from God doing a miracle in their hearts. They have become theoretical atheists. Their theories do not include any higher power or intelligent design. Since you cannot put God in a test tube or a mathematical equation, He does not exist.

But some atheists actually admit there is a God! They are practical atheists. Yes I know that sounds contradictory to say an atheist believes in God. But there are scores of people, some even calling themselves Christians, who are practicing atheists. In their head they acknowledge His existence, but not in their heart. Huh?

Let me explain. People who would say there is a God live their lives as if there was no God. They do not spend any time during their working hours thinking about God. They do not spend any leisure time thinking about God either. Etc etc (see * paragraph above)

They may even attend church but, beyond that hour, live as if there was no God. They do not talk to God or read His word; they are too busy with directing their own affairs.  In short they have become practical atheists. It is their practice to do everything with no thought of God and to take all the credit for what they have and who they are. They have become blind to the hand of God working in their lives. But on Sunday for an hour, and perhaps at a funeral they recognize God’s existence. The admonitions of Scripture to do or not do a thing are never given consideration.

1Th 5:16 Rejoice evermore. 17 Pray without ceasing. 18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 19 Quench not the Spirit. 20 Despise not prophesyings. 21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. 22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.

So our meditation for today is to ask how often we are guilty of being practical atheists. Do we meet God once a week and then live without Him the rest of the time? Do we meet God in the morning and then forget him the rest of the day? And no I am not suggesting we live like brown robed monks walking with our heads bowed in prayer all day. I am just asking if there are times you tell God “see you later”, or do you take Him with you throughout the day.

Ps 16:8 ¶ I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.