It Doesn’t Make Sense – And It Doesn’t Have To!
Who said that the Gospel made sense?
Noah certainly didn’t, enduring constant mockery for building an ark in the desert. Neither did
David, who took on the prize fighter of the Philistines with 5 small stones; nor Gideon’s 300
soldiers who defeated 130,000 enemy soldiers with the chaotic distraction of torches and drums;
nor even the Israelite ‘army’ that marched around Jericho’s walls, singing in faith for their
destruction.
An unarmed, tongue-tied, eighty year-old Moses went to Pharaoh to demand the release of the
Israelites, greatly doubting he would ever succeed. Paul sang hymns of praise to God after his
body was severely beaten by those opposed to his God. Stephan prayed to God for the
forgiveness of his enemies as they were busy stoning him to death.
No, the gospel does not make sense. That is why I love Madeleine L’Engel’s conclusion about
her faith in Christ: “We try to be too reasonable about what we believe. What I believe is not
reasonable at all. In fact, it’s hilariously impossible. Possible things aren’t worth much. These
crazy impossible things keep us going.”