My husband and I have 5 children, and our 2nd youngest, Kenly, had an imaginary friend whose name was Rocky. She would talk to Rocky constantly. He was there to comfort her in her young reality. She'd be up in her room, and I'd hear her talking to him. I'd ask, "baby girl, who were you talking to?" She'd respond, "Rocky, Mom, who else?" As if, duh. She fought for him to have a seat at the table and won. It was not an unhealthy situation, and I knew because I talked with her one day. I sat her down and told her, "Baby girl, I love that you love Rocky. He seems to be there for you. I love how you fight for him even when your siblings tease you. I must tell you that Rocky is an imaginary friend. This is the reason none of us see him." She looked at me with tears and hugged me. "I know, mom! But this house is always so busy. The big girls don't like to play with me. Mel has his friends he plays with, and Montanna is an annoying little sister, so I gave myself Rocky. He's all mine. I know he's not real, but he is all mine. I will give him up soon. I'm getting too old for an imaginary friend. Thanks, Mom; I love you."
That memory is such a beautiful memory for me. Her love and dedication for someone she knew not to be real was impressive. Can we say we have that kind of commitment toward Jesus? 1 Peter 1:8 "Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory..." We have so much evidence that Jesus walked this earth. There is abounding proof of him being the Son of God. By his power, authority, might, miracles, and message, he left evidence that he was, himself, God. We have everything we need to trust in Him, though we don't see him. We have answered prayers that help us know he is available, though we cannot touch him. He had quieted our souls at times when we sat alone in a room and needed a refreshing for our souls. We have more than necessary to put our weight on the relationship: him as Lord and ourselves, as servants and friends.
In John 20, after Jesus' resurrection, he appeared to Thomas. We call him doubting Thomas because he demanded evidence. Jesus condescended to Thomas. "Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing. You have seen, and you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
The Lord has given us so much more than Rocky was able to give Kenly. We get to know the God who left us evidence in history. He gives us so much every day. We don't have what Thomas could receive, but we do have the promise of being blessed for believing, not foolishly but in faith. Faith that is undergirded by facts. When we put our faith in him, we begin to learn about him. His character is taught throughout Scripture. We begin to understand what it means to fear him, to love him, to obey him. We experience the true blessedness of our relationship with him. Life is never the same. We can live through the toughest times with joy. He's not imaginary. He is reality.
Folks may try to sit us down and tell us our relationship with God is not real, he is imaginary. We can share with them the hope that we have. We can declare the reality of who our God is. We get to be his light and salt in their lives.
I was able to offer Kenly a better option. Her dad and I offered her a friend that sticks closer than a brother and especially an imaginary friend. A great friend who gave his life for her. He is always there; she can talk to him any time and know he won't leave. In contrast, she had to give up Rocky because he would cause her to look a bit looney. He was not real. There was no evidence of his existence other than her imagination. She would never have to give up Jesus, and he will never give her up.
While all the "gods" people hold to will one day be proven false, imaginary, and impotent, the God of heaven and earth is the Only True God. There is all the proof one needs to know; unlike Kenly's imaginary friend, God is real.
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