Not long ago a coalition of over 18 atheist and secular groups, unveiled a billboard along a San Diego freeway, which read, “Atheism: A personal relationship with reality.”  ‘”We want to express how using intelligence to free oneself of the god idea can open the curtain to a inspiring new outlook,” said spokeswoman Debbie Allen. ” Atheism is positive and offers grounding in the real world.”  The billboard features a curtain with a painting of a sky exposing a stack of books.  “When you raise the curtain between the known and the unknown, there is nothing there but the natural world.  No wizards, no spirits, no deities,” Allen explained.

The message of this billboard screams for a reply.  There simply can be no personal relationship with reality without a personal Creator.   The universe is the result of a personal being, the Triune God of love. who created reality, that is, our world, in order that we might have a personal relationship with him.  The universe is very personal, the result of a loving creation of Father, Son and Holy Spirit, who have lived in perfect loving relationship from all eternity. We are invited into this perfect relationship.  C.S. Lewis called it “The Great Dance.” In the beginning “God said,’ Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness.'” (Gen 1:26)  Then we read in verse 27, “God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”

Men, never forget that “personhood” is a precious gift bestowed upon by by our loving Heavenly Father.  Human intelligence comes up empty in an attempt to explain personal relationships.  Paul reminds us in I Cor 2:9, “No one’s seen or heard anything like this, never so much as imagined anything quite like it – What God has arranged for those who love him.”  (The Message).  When the curtain of awareness is opened, it is not “stack of books” that we contemplate.   But we hear the same words that the Father uttered to his beloved Son,  “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” (Mark 1:12)

I pray that when the curtain lifted, that each of  us will see how much God longs for personal relationship with each man reading this blog..  Ponder these wonderful words from the Message (Eph. 1:4-6).  Just let them sink into your heart and soul.  “Long before he laid down earth’s foundation, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love.  Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!).  He wanted  us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift giving by the hand of his beloved Son.”