How Do We Know God is Good?

Let's face it: Easter time is really over. The more liturgical churches (like mine) might still be on Easter mode, but the bunnies, the eggs and the chocolate is on sale, and we have to wait till Thanksgiving for another big shopping spree.

With Easter time gone—we also see some people gone until Christmas time. They came, they sat through the service (someone told me one family talked through it about the Boston Bruin season) and its holiday times now.

While frustrating for ministers like me, on some level I can relate. Easter is a high for church folks—anyone who saw our celebration knows what I am talking about. It's great, and fun—but how long can you stay high? The questions get to you one way or another: is this for real? How can we know this is true? And more importantly: how can we know that God is good? With all these tragedies, how can we still say that God is good? Aren't his credentials and references a little too good? I mean—lets face it, he wrote them himself (well, kinda).

This week's readings cover the famous Jesus line: "I am the good shepard." And then the line: "The sheep (that's us) know me because they recognize my voice."

Really? How can we know God? How do you know and experience God's voice? Do you at all? Let me know!