Two Things to Compare

Two things to compare:

On Sunday a couple of weeks ago, the Bishop pointed out in our worship service that when Jacob responded to God, he said, "If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear, so that I come again to my father's house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God,..."  (Genesis 28:20b-21)

What she wanted us to see was the If.  The sentence begins with If. It is a sign of doubt.  Jacob is stepping out in faith. "A faith that begins with if is looking for God - expects an encounter with God."

Compare it to this, which I read on Facebook on the way home:

A friend wrote a beautiful post about the presence of God in Florida during the shooting. Someone replied that it "is difficult to believe in a diety..." and then went on to discuss how the faithful can be hypocritical. Someone else replied and told him (the commenter) that he needed to be baptized and then all would become clear.  The commenter asked how the man knew that he hadn't been and did go to church.  The reply: "By your comments and wavering faith! Those how have been saved and truly believe do not waiver in their faith in god above!"

I have to say that the Bishop's words ring more true to me that the words of the man who answered the commenter.

Doubts and questions are only a sign of growth. Without them we are stagnant, assuming we know everything (we don't) and that God is only as we believe God to be (God isn't).