The novelist, Frederick Buechner, once wondered what would happen if God, instead of depending upon
our faith, decided to give us a proof–something scientific, something tangible, that would be beyond
the shadow of a doubt. “Suppose that God were to take the great, dim river of the Milky Way, brighten it
up a little and then rearrange it so that… written out in letters light years tall … I REALLY EXIST. Buechner
thinks the reaction would be dramatic–for a little while –until “I REALLY EXIST,” became a normal part of
nature. Our deepest need according to Buechner is not proof that there is a God somewhere who exists or
evidence that a resurrection happened some time ago in history, but a God who is right here, knee-deep in
the mud and mire of human existence. We need a risen Christ who comes to us every day to give life and
hope. That is a God who comes not in evidence but in the relationship of trust we call faith. God cannot be
seen when we draw a line in the sand and say, “Give me proof or I don’t step over the line.” God is
experienced by those who step over the line in trust. When we do, our eyes are opened; we encounter
Christ and the power of his presence. This is the risen Christ we worship today.