Recent FoxNews survey found 92% believe in God

Many people believe in God. God has pretty good poll numbers, actually. In a recent poll conducted by Fox News, a full 92% affirmed that they believe in the concept of God.

But if you ask people, “what is your relationship with God?” then the answers become much hazier. It’s a much more confrontational question, isn’t it?

Relationship with God

Belief in God, though important, is not the most essential thing. More important is the understanding of God’s essential nature and, thus, the nature of your response to the existence of God. You may believe in God, but do you believe that you should also have a dynamic relationship with him? If God is just a “cosmic force” or the “prime mover” of the universe only, then your relationship with him will probably not be of a personal nature. If that is so, an impersonal relationship is generally not very personally fulfilling.

All relationships that are personally fulfilling require mutual trust. You probably have had experiences of relationships that ended up deeply hurting you. The person you initially trusted in the relationship was found to be lacking in remaining true to that trust.

Our hearts are extremely sensitive. Our hearts heighten our emotional sensations both good and bad. In this way, our hearts are fragile like Faberge eggs and even more precious. Giving someone your most valued and tender aspect is very frightening. “Can I trust you?” is always the essential question that is the prelude to forging a new relationship.

After a few painful failures, however, many people conclude that a trustful relationship of love is not worth the pain of trying. They opt for a life of security and no more pain; but it comes with a price. They aren’t feeling pain, but they are feeling empty and alone. Have you ever felt that way?

Trust is also involved in establishing our relationship with God. If we have turned off the trust value in our heart, this will be an issue. God will need a security clearance from you. There are some hurdles that must be overcome in achieving trust in God. Can you trust God?

God is invisible. His mode of expression doesn’t generate sound waves that journey up your auditory canal and vibrate your eardrum. For this reason many people conclude that even if God exists, to know God is not within the realm of possibility. God can appear to be a mystery and because of that you may not understand the nature of your response to him.

After all, how do you trust and start a relationship with a mystery? These hurdles must be met and be overcome because relationship with God is the most essential of all relationships of your life. In fact, it is the “gold standard” out of which all enduring and fulfilling relationships will follow.

God's Nature

Paul, in a letter to Roman believers, revealed to them a valuable lesson in the quest to ascertain the nature of God.

Paul informed them that although God is invisible, he has manifested himself visibly through the things he has made. So, although God is invisible, his nature is embossed, like a fingerprint, on all things much in the same way an artist manifests his internal attributes, his thoughts, his hopes, his pains and his ideals within his tangible artistic expression. In this way, what is invisible becomes visible and knowable.

One can know the artist through the conduit of his expressed art form. One can know God in the same way, through the things that he has made. . .This was Paul’s brilliant observation.

The universe is like scripture in which “the heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.” In that display, the nature of God is revealed to you and with it, the way of appropriate response is made known. Can you begin to hear God speaking to you, now?

When you see the breath-taking beauty of the sky, for instance, you should know that it was created for you by a God who knew that you would be so touched by its beauty. When an orange explodes its delicious juices inside your mouth, it tastes so indescribably good because God intended for you to have that great sensation. In fact, doesn’t the very structure of an orange, with its neatly formed sections, indicate a Creator who anticipated the heart of sharing and community?

God knows you, He understands you. Jesus said that God even knows the “number of hairs on your head.” Thus, God knows you intimately in every detail. It is why relationship with God is also the most direct path to self-knowledge and affirmation.

Genesis 1:27 says that God created us “in his own image. The book of Hebrews calls Jesus “the exact representation of God” That’s why Jesus proclaimed, “as you see me you see the Father.” When one exams the life of Jesus, it is clear his life was about loving others. Thus, this “exact representation” of God reveals the one pervading truth about God. God loves you.

He loves you as a True Parent. A parent knows you the best and still loves you anyway! That’s God; he always loves you and always accepts you. Thus, he wants to come into a personal relationship with you. In knowing this, you can know that your true response to him is to be the trustful response of love.

You can trust God because God is true. God is worthy of your trust in that God always has your best interests at heart.

You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matthew 5:43-48)

You see, God loves everyone, always. Now go have an orange. .. and while you're at it, why not share a piece with a friend?