Of all the presents I received for my eighth birthday—coloring books, fancy stationery, and toys— the children’s Bible was the best gift. I recall racing through Genesis to Jude, but staying away from Revelation because I did not like thinking about the End Times.
At the age of 12, I gave my life to Jesus. But shortly after, I was left speechless when my cousin asked me what I would do if I went to heaven and found out that God was a bowl of ice cream.
“Like this one here,” he said, pointing to my dessert. “What happens then? Wouldn’t it be a waste of all your years of serving Him if He turns out to be a bowl of dessert?”
God as a creamy deity?
Having grown up in a Christian home, I had no idea how to answer him—it had never occurred to me to question God’s existence. While there were times when I had wondered if He answered prayers—like the time I failed my science paper and was about to get a scolding from my parents—I had always held on to my belief in God.
I mulled over my cousin’s statement for a while, then asked him what would happen if he went to heaven only to find out there was a God. “But what if there isn’t?” he insisted.
My cousin would not be the only person to ask me if I believed in the existence of an omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent God. It is not easy to wrap one’s head around the fact that God existed before time, and that He created the Heavens and the Earth (Genesis chapter 1: verse 1).
But when I look around me at all the living creatures and up at the night sky with its faraway galaxies and multitude of stars, everything points to a Mastermind behind creation.
God is not a sweet treat
Over and above that, the foundation of my belief in God is built on the resurrection of Jesus Christ. As Paul pointed out in 1 Corinthians chapter 15: verse14, “And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.”
The way I see it, Jesus’ apostles would not have risked their lives to spread the gospel if His resurrection was a myth. After all, what would have been the point of telling other people about Jesus and subsequently dying for this man if He was never to be seen again? What hope would there have been in a cold body?
Because Jesus had indeed risen again from the dead as He said He would, however, His disciples knew He was not an ordinary man, but the everlasting God.
Having been born 2,000 years after Christ, I was not there to witness His resurrection. But I am convinced God is real—and not just a bowl of chocolate ice cream with peanut and fairy sprinkles—when I see the conviction and obedience of fellow Christians in carrying out God’s commandment to love one another as He has loved us (John chapter 13: verse 34-35).
Love of Christ shown
Two years ago, I volunteered at my church’s annual community day. We went to help a woman whose house had not seen a mop in two decades. For four hours, a group of us washed her windows, vacuumed her floor, and mowed her lawn. The woman could hardly believe it when she saw strangers pulling up into her driveway by the carload, all ready to clean her home.
I’m surprised I did it too. If God was not real, I would not have climbed out of bed early on a Saturday just to help a stranger clean her house. But having the faith and knowledge that God exists, and that we are made for eternity, has helped me shift my focus from living only for myself towards living a life that leaves behind a lasting legacy (Ecclesiastes chapter 3: verse 11).
Knowing that God truly exists also means that I can take comfort in knowing where I’m heading after this life, and that there is a God I can run to in times of need.
The other thing is that I like a bit of real estate (I used to love watching home-makeover shows), and it’s exciting to know that heaven exists too. I can’t wait to get a glimpse of heaven, with its pearly gates and gold-paved streets as pure as transparent glass (Revelation chapter 21: verse 21). Bye-bye, dirty pedestrian streets littered with gum and pigeon poo; hello, polished, gleaming streets.
So, does it matter if God exists? To me, it certainly does. And hopefully, I will be able to lead a life which leaves behind an eternal legacy that will point people to my Father in Heaven (Matthew Chapter 5: verse 16).
Originally published on YMI at https://ymi.today/2015/09/what-if-god-was-a-bowl-of-ice-cream/. Republished with permission.
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Michele Ong currently works as a writer for a Christian non-profit organisation. She believes in the power of the written word, and the impact it has on lives. In her spare time, she can be found trying to put together a decent meal, or pretending to be an elite swimmer in the pools. For more of Michele’s articles look here: https://www.pressserviceinternational.org/michele-ong.html
Michele Ong currently works as a writer for a Christian non-profit organisation. She believes in the power of the written word, and the impact it has on lives. In her spare time, she can be found trying to put together a decent meal, or pretending to be an elite swimmer in the pools. For more of Michele’s articles look here: https://www.pressserviceinternational.org/michele-ong.html