So What Do You Believe?

While hurrying from my car to the doors of the Post Office, I saw that a local bookstore owner was headed for the same doors. I chose to "do the right thing" and hold the door open, letting him enter first.

I hadn't anticipated what would happen at the next set of doors.

"Now I can return the favor!" he said as he held the door for me.

He jokingly accused me of planning it that way, but as we both got in line he said.

"Well now we can talk while we wait in line."

"I always believe that God has a reason for meeting the people I come across as I'm running errands." I told him.

"I like to say I don't believe in coincidences." he agreed.

"So what DO you believe?"

"I was raised Catholic but I haven't stayed in the church. But I do believe that there's something higher up."

"Working as a campus minister I've made a career of talking about things that most people avoid talking about in public."

"You mean like politics and religion?"

"Yeah, stuff that people get passionate about and causes tempers to flare."

"They tend to have a hard time talking about what they believe."

"My personal mission statement is 'to explain & defend a biblical world view in an academic environment."

"It would be great if more people knew their purpose."

"I like to point out that you can't say that anything is good or bad unless you know its purpose. You can't start hitting things with a wrench and then complain that it's not a good hammer!"

"That makes a lot of sense."

"The same goes for people. We can't say that we're doing good or bad when we don't know what our purpose is."

"I think it's easier for people to say that it's all up to chance."

"That way they don't have to think about why they're here and what their purpose is. Those are some of the things I like to get people to think about."

"How is that going?"

"I have a group that meets on campus every Friday afternoon to discuss 'matters of ultimate concern.' It's called the Cave. You'd be welcome to come check it out."

"So what's the agenda there?"

"Well we start with 3 questions: What is Real? (ontology) How do you know? (epistemology) and What is valuable? (axiology) Once everyone has shared some ideas on how they view these areas, we have a platform which supports dialogue. It's easier to understand what someone is saying when you know a little bit about where they're coming from."

"That sounds interesting! I'd love to come sometime."

Just another day at the Post Office! On the way out I saw a woman who works there whom I have prayed for in the past. She has a painful problem with her hands drying out and cracking and bleeding. It's especially bad in a job where you're handling packages and letters all day! She has been excited about healing she has received in the past but this winter the problem is back - so I took her hands in mine and prayed for her again. She was very grateful!

Keep us in your prayers this Christmas Break and in January when we "regather the troops!" for Winter Quarter ministry plans.

Love & Blessings as you prepare your hearts and remember Christ's birth!

Matt & Susi Lundquist

#apologetics #culture #philosophy #belief #faith #providence #sovereignty