With or Without God

Last week I met a man who  told me, “I believe in God today because of my neighbour.”  He continued to tell me the story about his ongoing relationship with this neighbour, who obviously put his love for God and neighbour at the forefront.

During these months of block parties and community garage sales, I often ask people what they were planning for the next event that could not be accomplished without God’s intervention.  The question allows us to think less about logistics and the numbers, and more about these events as vehicles we can use to see what God is up to in our neighbourhoods.  Here we begin to redeem the purpose and value of such events.

The Bible is filled with stories of accomplishments that were achieved only as God’s people sought, accepted and invested power from beyond themselves: God’s power to achieve their God-honoured goals.  Far too often we try to do too much on our own, forgetting that there is help available from the One who made us, loves us, and walks with us in all of life’s experiences.

May our love for a neighbour and for God always be on the front page of the instruction book we are following.

Published by permission. This blog was originally posted on the Neighbourhood Life blog at www.rickabma.com/