Answering a skeptic’s questions

Good morning. This is a devotional for single adults from Parenting Solo, but the message also applies to single adults without children who may one day marry a single parent and be a step-parent. Feel Free to forward it to a friend.

Note to readers: I have pulled the plug on the Parenting Solo Web site (I kept the domain name, though), so the e-mails I send out daily will now come from my personal e-mail, dk_mead@yahoo.com, and not doug@parentingsolo.com. Please note the change. Also, toward the bottom notice that the volume has hit No. 4, which means I am in my fourth year of writing these devotionals for single parents and single adults who may become step parents on eday. Praise God. God willing, we’ll reach 5 next year. Thank you, my devoted readers. Doug Mead

Scripture: John 14:15-17 (The Message) “If you love me, show it by doing what I’ve told you. I will talk to the Father, and he’ll provide you another Friend so that you will always have someone with you. This Friend is the Spirit of Truth. The godless world can’t take him in because it doesn’t have eyes to see him, and doesn’t know what to look for.”

Last week, before my son returned to his large, secular university, he stopped in for dinner. I don’t remember how we got into the conversation, but suddenly we were discussing evolution vs. creationism. Matt is an architecture design major and has taken geology and physics classes in college and has come to firmly believe that the world has evolved after millions and billions of years. I believe wholeheartedly in creationism or creative design, so the short debate ensued.

I love those kinds of discussions with him, because it puts him on the defensive. “Why do you believe in evolution?” I asked him. “I’ve studied it in school, and it just makes more sense. I believe in God and that a man named Jesus once lived on earth, but I don’t believe in his miracles. I believe in science and what I can touch and see, so I don’t believe he died and rose from the grave.” “So how do we know the Civil War took place?” I asked. “There are stories, photographs.” “True enough,” I said, “but we have stories from hundreds of people who saw Jesus after he died.” “Yeah, but there’s no photographs. “True,” I said, “but there are no photographs of Alexander the Great, either.”

Then I shifted the conversation about who Jesus is. Despite the fact that photography wasn’t invented for another 18,000 years or so, there are facts and reliable testimony we can rely on. As Christians, we can always rely on the truth. I asked my son why there has never been a transitional phase between monkey or ape bones and human bones, and he said there was, despite the fact that there isn’t. The truth isn’t on his side. Much of Darwin’s Theory of Evolution has been debunked by most “honest” and “credible” scientists, even though it is still taught in public schools, including the schools my son has attended.

The scientific community holds on by a scintilia of hope that evolution is fact because they don’t want to believe that a loving God created earth and humans so that he could relate to us personally and also to hold us accountable for our sins. As my wife and I looked out over the Grand Canyon on our vacation two weeks ago, we marveled at the beauty that God has bestowed upon us. I could see the layers of sediment that many scientists believe could have occurred from the Great Flood of Noah’s time, caused by billions and billions of gallons of water per square foot rapidly working its way through mostly soft sandstone, not bedrock. I shared that with my son, and he suddenly wanted to change the subject. I want to give him answers to his questions, so I plan to purchase “A Case for Christ,” by Lee Strobel. I will let the truth speak for itself when it comes to the life of Jesus. I trust God to weigh on his heart to one day read it.

How does this apply to my life?

Today’s prayer: Lord, keep working in my son’s life. I know you won’t let go of him. I told him that, even though he is now skeptical of who you are. I believe in your truths. I cling to them, and they bring me peace Amen

Doug Mead
Parenting Solo

Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Vol. 4, No. 6

This week’s reading plan can be found at http:/www.oneyearbibleonline.com/january.asp?version=51