You are a Child of God

   Go forth from hence, embrace this life, be all I’d have you be,

   Nothing is impossible when leaning hard on me;

   Come boldly to the throne of grace, trace every step I’ve trod,

   For remember, one and all, you’re but a child of God.

   With these stirring words ringing in his ears, Vincent stood up, gathered his things together, put them in his backpack, walked down the stairs of the theatre-style classroom and made for the door. There he stopped, put down his backpack, walked over to the whiteboard and wrote in large, bold letters:

   Five things God cannot do –

   Leave me

   Forsake me

   Stop loving me

   Go back on His Word

   Deny me the gift of salvation

   Vincent walked back to the door, picked up his backpack and was on the point of leaving when the professor called him by name. Turning slowly around, Vincent heard the professor say:

   “You have taught me, and perhaps all of us here this evening, a very valuable lesson. I invite you to take my place and share with us how you came by the convictions you so strongly hold”.

   Vincent remained by the door while the professor gathered his things together, put them in his briefcase, walked up the stairs of the theatre-style classroom and sat down heavily in the place where Vincent had been. Vincent walked over to the professor’s desk and turned to face the class.

   “Always be prepared to give a reason for your faith. That is what the Bible tells us to do and that is what I sought to do today.

   “When the professor referred most emphatically to God’s omniscience and omnipotence, I felt compelled to remonstrate because there are five things God cannot do. That the professor said he would brook no argument on the matter, even to the point of asking anyone who held a contrary view to leave, only fueled my determination to be heard.

   “Is the cucumber bitter? Cast it away. Are there briars in the path? Turn aside, nothing more is needed. Do not proceed to ask, ‘Why is the universe burdened with creations such as these?’

   “I heard these words spoken a number of years ago and they brought me up short, for if there is a creation, then there must be a creator, even of me, for am I – are we not all – fearfully and wonderfully made?

   “My search for a creator began with a study of Christianity for no other reason than that it was the only denomination with a place of worship near where I live. I went on to study other religions.

   “I read how Buddhists, Mormons, Muslims and Unitarians believe adherents must earn their own salvation; how Christian Scientists believe that Jesus’ death did not free people from their sins, and how Orthodox Jews do not believe that Christ was the Messiah. Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that people who fail to meet the standards of Jehovah will be exterminated, while Hindus think that people can attain salvation through, amongst other things, meditation.

   “Thus in no other religion did I hear of a creator who had each of the five attributes you see before you, hence my search for my creator ended where it began – with the Word of God.

   “As often as not, whenever I tried to make disciples of all nations, I would meet with rejection. At first, I found that hard to take. But I didn’t want to leave matters there, because I soon realized it wasn’t me that my hearers were rejecting but God. And knowing how much people miss out in life when God is not at the very center of their being, I knew I had to respond in a powerful, thought provoking and, I hope, memorable way.

   “It occurred to me that one thing we all have in common is tribulation of one sort or another. It is at those times that we most need help in getting through the problems that so beset us: how marvelous if we could do so in a way that had us rejoicing at the same time, just as the Bible admonishes us to do.

   “So I decided to do what the Bible tells us and that is always be prepared to give a reason for my Christianity – note I no longer use the otherwise unspecified word ‘faith’. My reason, as you have seen today, is so that I can tell people that, no matter the trials and tribulations of this life, God will see us through, not because of what He can do, but because of what He can’t.

   “Before anyone has time to respond, I tell them there are five things God cannot do. I then pause for effect before continuing.

   “God can never, ever leave you or forsake you. He can never, ever stop loving you no matter what you do. He can never, ever go back on His Word, and He can never, ever deny you the gift of salvation: whether you choose to accept it is up to you. I then go on to say that, if the one true God thinks this much of me, you can be sure I will never, ever leave Him or forsake Him. I will never, ever stop loving Him. I will never, ever go back on my word to Him, and I will do everything in my power to be worthy of His gift of salvation. I invite you to do the same.

   “Wouldn’t it be wonderful if our nearest and dearest always felt the same way about us and we about them, especially in the dark night of the soul? But we know utopia doesn’t exist, don’t we? How much more then should we learn to trust and obey, to love unconditionally and to strive to be worthy of so great a love as God has to offer? How much more then should we learn to turn to Him and walk with Him through this transitory life, knowing that our light affliction is but for a moment and not to be compared to the treasures that await us in heaven?

   “I had the very great privilege of being invited to propose the toast at a Quensinera for a young lady who knew what it was to be afflicted. In case you are not aware, a Quensinera is a ceremony observed by the Hispanic community to mark the occasion of a young lady’s fifteenth birthday when she is deemed to have arrived at the state of womanhood. I like to think it was the Lord Himself who gave me the words to say. I commend those of the last verse to you for your remembrance, now and always.

   “You Are a Child of God

   “Long before I formed you I had these words in mind,

   I had in view a special work, one of the lasting kind;

   I opened up the book of life, read all there was therein,

   I stopped at Proverbs thirty-one, beginning at verse ten.

   “I knew you’d have temptation, troubles, trials and more,

   Heartaches, disasters, I knew what was in store;

   I put protection round you, a hedge both straight and tall,

   I poured my love out on you, just so you would not fall.

   “I gave you strength for clothing and honor there is too,

   The law of kindness, wisdom – I gave these both to you;

   To price you above rubies I answered virtue’s call,

   Many daughters have done virtuously, thou exceedest all.

   “Ere long you’ll hear the praises of a husband good and true,

   Your children shall arise and call you blessed too,

   For in a house where my love dwells shall all of them be raised,

   A woman who doth fear the Lord is greatly to be praised.

   “Today you’ve come to womanhood and I’m so proud of you,

   You’ve had your tribulations but you’ve come smiling through;

   Should they return, reach for my Word, remember this day when

   I stopped at Proverbs thirty-one beginning at verse ten.

   “Go forth from hence, embrace this life, be all I’d have you be,

   Nothing is impossible when leaning hard on me,

   Come boldly to the throne of grace, trace every step I’ve trod,

   For remember, one and all, you’re but a child of God”.

For further reading: Hebrews 4:16, 13:5; Nehemiah 9:31; Malachi 3:6; Isaiah 54:10; 1 Peter 3:15; Psalms 139:14; Matthew 28:19; 1 Peter 4:12-19; 2 Corinthians 4:17; Proverbs 31:10-31