More Than Facebook Friends

A few years ago, Ravi Zacharias came to William & Mary to speak on campus.  Ravi was raised Hindu in India before becoming an atheist and eventually a Christian.  He has become a world renowned apologist making it his mission to argue for the validity of Christian theology against opposing belief systems such as atheism and other religions.

In reading his books and listening to him speak, he holds no punches.  He exudes self-confidence in the convictions he holds dear.  And he welcomes any objection, any question, and while he answers it with sincere love, there is an undeniable assertiveness about his demeanor.  And so when one student rose and asked a question during his campus visit, Ravi’s answer was surprisingly unexpected.  The student asked, “If you could ask God one question, what would it be?”

Ravi thought for a moment.  “I would ask Him why He made it so hard to believe in Him.”

Wait a minute.  In a moment of vulnerable honesty, the guy who was comfortably bashing atheism one moment would ask God why it is so hard to believe in Him?

Why is it so hard to believe in God sometimes?  And often believing in God isn’t so much the issue—why is it so hard to know God sometimes?  To know Him more?  And not knowing about God.  There is plenty to know about God.  From Sunday School to systematic theologies, Bible readings to sermons, it is easy to learn a lot about God, but to really know God.  There is the labor.

In our electronic, Internet age, its easy to see the difference between genuinely knowing other people and merely knowing about them.  I think I have over 500 Facebook friends, and there is absolutely no way I know 500 people on this planet.  In fact, the number of people I truly know on a deep, personal level I could probably count on my two hands.  It’s easy to accept a friend invitation on Facebook.  But if you really want to know someone, you have to be intentional.

And so sometimes I feel like God is my Facebook friend.  It’s interesting to see what His favorite hymns or famous quotes are or to see what He has listed as His political views, but then I have this yearning to go beyond all that.  I want to know who this God is and what His hopes and dreams are and what makes His heart heavy with sorrow and what gives Him joy.

And I realize in these moments that I need to be more intentional.  Text message prayers won’t do.  And I know it takes time, perhaps a lifetime, or more.  But therein lies the reward.  As I come to know the living God more and more, I realize that this isn’t some cheap Facebook status.  This is real.  This is reality at its rawest.  And the more I come to know God, the more I realize how mysterious He is, which only increases my yearning.