See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! (1 John 3:1)

Thursday, July 4 was another huge day in Maul history! There are a thousand details worth talking about, including a wonderful breakfast with Andrew and Alicia, a beautiful tour of Dow gardens with my parents, and an unforgettable garden party at the Pashby home in the evening. But the signal moment of the day was meeting my new granddaughter, Rebekah Mae, for the first time.

Rebekah Mae fussed, she cried, she objected to her bottle, she protested vigorously when it was time for a change of clothes, and then she sighed and stretched before settling comfortably into her granddaddy Derek’s shoulder, resting peacefully for the next hour.

Oh. My. Goodness. I was captured from the outset. Other than her mother, she’s the most beautiful baby girl I’ve ever seen.

I thought about all the goodness of the people surrounding her, the commitment, the faithfulness, and the vibrant life; and I thought about the way self-giving love runs deep through this family; and I thought about the way the community of faith has held each one of us up and encouraged us throughout our lives… and I felt a surge of confidence in the future, and of peace about my family as I held this new life in my arms.

REALITY: Then, and this only happens with introspective folk such as writers, I found myself thinking about an ongoing exchange that’s been going on under my blog posts on facebook. The subject has been one reader’s continuous need to debate the idea of a loving God, object to the validity of Christian faith, and question the integrity of personal belief.

Sometimes the questions posed are thoughtful, so I respond as best as I can as a faithful witness to God’s grace, but often they are simply repetitions of previous contentions, so I chose not to go over the same ground time and again. Other people have chimed in, with mixed results, but in general the exchanges don’t achieve much in terms of moving the conversation forward.

One sticking point is my unwillingness to limit faith to what I can prove by employing reason. And this was what I found myself thinking about as I held my new grandchild and noted that I loved her beyond reason. I can’t explain it; I couldn’t possibly defend it; I absolutely don’t need to do either. I just love her.

I can’t explain God; I couldn’t possibly defend faith; I absolutely don’t need to do either.

– DEREK