I really enjoy reading the quotable quotes by renowned people in the world, to find how from their own background, their belief, their living, their experiences and their careers and achievements have shaped their concept of various topics. Here I would like to share some of my favorite quotes on “God” with you.
Martin Luther King, Jr: A Godly Vision
“I just want to do God’s will. And he’s allowed me to go to the mountain. And I’ve looked over, and I’ve seen the promised land! I may not get there with you, but I want you to know tonight that we as a people will get to the promised land. “
Martin Luther King, Jr.
“I have a dream.” Martin Luther King Jr. was a Christian, a fighter, and a martyr for the civil rights of African-Americans. He applied God’s Word as a solution to the misery of African-Americans. He had a dream. He saw a vision. He followed his vision closely. He had full empathy with African-Americans; he embraced them and he carried them on his shoulders before God. He tried his best to show them the same vision which God showed him: the promised land — the liberation of African Americans with civil rights. Furthermore, he encouraged them to move on and on until they reached the promised land – their full freedom on civil rights with joy. A man who risked his life to apply God’s will in such a practical way is worthy of our full respect and honor.
Abraham Lincoln: Being on God’s Side
“Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God’s side, for God is always right.”
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was a godly puritan Christian, a fighter for democracy and a great emancipator, helping to issue in the liberation of African Americans from slavery. His view and attitude with God are very different from normal people and even from normal Christians.
The normal view and attitude of the world says: “God is for me; God is on my side. If God blesses me, I will pay Him back. If God fails me, I will not worship Him nor serve Him.”
On the contrary, Mr. Lincoln knew God and knew Him in a very intimate and deep way. He knew his existence was for God and for God’s will. He knew the existence of America to be for God and for God’s will. He knew that if he was on God’s side, and stood with God’s move, God would continue to enlighten him, to carry him, to lead him, and to keep him. Moreover, he was confident that if America was on God’s side, and stood with God’s move, then God would continue to enlighten the country, to carry the country, to lead the country, and to keep the country.
Mr. Lincoln took God’s side on the premise “for God is always right”. God is always right. Even when people think God is wrong, He is still right. “God is always right” is beyond human logic. People always say, “God is not right.” “God is not fair.” Many people question, criticize, or even judge God and God’s acts based on their personal concepts, personal experiences, and personal achievements. They don’t know that God and His acts are far beyond human logic and experience. God is eternal. All He did and all He dealt with people in the world according to His eternal view and all His acts bear eternal value, while all human logic, human experiences, and human achievements are temporal and bear only short-term effect. Let’s consider seriously and follow the belief of Mr. Lincoln: “Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God’s side, for God is always right.”
Mahatma Gandhi: God as the Unique Truth and Treasure
“God, as Truth, has been for me a treasure beyond price. May He be so to every one of us.”
Mahatma Gandhi
Gandhi has been a legend in India. His non-cooperation movement was a token of a great political awakening in India. He used to claim, “I am a Muslim, a Hindu, a Christian, and a Jew.” This shows that his personal beliefs really transcend the secular political, religious, and cultural framework. His transcending belief and persevering spirit led the non-cooperation movement to final success. Even with such a great achievement for India and a grand contribution to global politics, as a pursuer and upholder of many truths, he acknowledged God as “Truth,” the unique truth and treasure which is far beyond all the prices he had paid for his belief and for his country. Gandhi was a great man. He always shared his unique Truth and Treasure – God – with his followers and his country.
Francis Bacon: God as the Great Creator
“God never wrought miracle to convince atheism, because his ordinary works convince it. It is true that a little philosophy inclines man’s mind to atheism; but depth in philosophy brings men’s minds about to religion.”
Francis Bacon
Bacon has been called “the father of empiricism” and “the philosopher of industrial science”. He used to say how he desired to be the “Christopher Columbus in science,” for he often searched for new ideas, experimented with new things, and explored new frontiers in the scientific world. It was in his work as a great philosopher and scientist, that God became so very real to him. Bacon spent his life in the study of empiricism, the theory that all knowledge is derived from sense-experience. It was through this work that he experienced God, and found them to be true.
God and His acts are far beyond human logic and experience.
According to Bacon, God’s miracles (such as calling into existence the things which do not exist, the resurrection of the dead, and making people believe in the invisible) are not necessary to convince a man of God’s existence. Rather, His ordinary works, such as the laws of life, the phenomenon of nature, and the order of the universe, are far beyond sufficient to convince atheists of God. When a person is first initiated into the realm of philosophy (which itself means the love for knowledge), his mind becomes directed toward atheism. After that person enters into the depths of philosophy, his mind should be ultimately brought to religion. Such a man begins to build up belief in, and reverence for, a supernatural power (God) or powers regarded as creating and governing the universe. Accordingly, a cause, principle, or activity pursued with zeal or conscientious devotion to the belief shortly follows. Indeed, Francis Bacon was a great scientist, a true pursuer of knowledge, and a man of God.
