As we wind down the year and take stock, I am always amazed at how good life really is. Of course there have been some surprises and challenges, but that is what makes it all the more interesting.  One of the more interesting things this year has been a campaign by atheists overseas, where large posters were placed on buses stating, “There’s probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life.”

Over the course of the past few weeks, I’ve been part of an equally interesting campaign on how to be intimate with God.  This is in stark contrast to the first statement and has the same potential for getting my mind into gear. When I place “there’s probably no God” next to “Intimacy with God”, what strikes me most is that the first one leaves a back door open for doubt and the possibility that the statement could be wrong.  When I look at the second statement, I can see no room for error.  It states it as it is: there IS a God and I can be INTIMATE with that God. I live that truth! 

When I look at the experience Paul had on the road to Damascus (Acts 2:9), I see a personal experience with God.  When I look at my life and my walk with Christ, I recognise the same intimacy and reality as Paul did on that day. I also know that this intimacy is dependent on the amount of time and effort and consistent prayer I am willing to put into this relationship with the Lord.  The more consistent my prayer life, the less likely I am to be misled by statements on the sides of buses, or the cheap philosophy found floating about cyberspace. Romans 6 tells me that I should not let sin reign in my body, for it clouds my judgement. Intimacy with God releases me up to enjoy life, free from fear, rejection and anxiety.

There is a God. Now stop worrying and enjoy life.