Science Without Wonder?

A book was placed in my hand several years back.  I cannot remember where I received it or who gave it to me, and it remained in my possession, even after multiple relocations.  I donate books every time I pack because of their weight.  Yet somehow, this book survived, and I have finally made the conscious decision to read it. 

The book is titled Why I Believe in a Personal God by former Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey.  I do not agree with many of the positions he held as a church leader, but I am so taken by his approach to the discussion of God's existence and to what end He reaches out to us.  May I never again shy away from the hard questions of existence. 

The third chapter plunges into the realities of the universe in which we all live. 
1. What observations may we make?
2. From where did it originate? 
3. If we acknowledge that there is order in the universe, what else may we surmise?
4. And most importantly, why did I NOT pay more attention in high school?  (It talked about the laws of thermodynamics, and I had to wikipedia what they word meant.  And I still don't think I really understand.  Embarrassing)

If Christians ignore any discussion of science and existence, what will we begin to believe about our place in the universe?  Where does the wonder and splendor lay in a reality that happened by chance?  The author here says, "Science without wonder leads to the impoverishment of the human spirit." 

Do God and science align?  Princeton physicist Professor Freeman Dyson states:

"I do feel like an alien in the universe.  The more I study the details of its architecture the more evidence I find that the universe in some sense must have known that we were coming."

 

Making all my intentions known

I have decided to be more INTENTIONAL in 2013.  Just the decision alone is a move in the right direction, and it feels so great to cross something off my to-do list.  Sometimes, I'll even write tasks on my list that I've already done, just so I have something to cross off.  Who's successful in life?  This girl.

But the day-to-day completion of tasks and duties pales in comparison to the acknowledgement of how they bring us to the ends.  My job.  My love life.  My social scene.  Keeping an eternity focus should drive my decisions for daily life.  In grad school research, I learned that this is called my conceptual framework.  Through that framework, the reader sees how and why the author concludes x, y, and z.  For how much school debt I accrued to learn about conceptual frameworks, I INTEND to pedal that term into as many conversations as I can.

How well will I perform my job today?  I can do what is asked of me.  Assess my patients.  Chart on the computer just how normal/abnormal they are.  Give them some pills.  Fluff their pillow.  It's not against any law.  I won't get in trouble.  I won't lose my job.  My patients [probably] won't die.  (That last statement is affirming that I understand my limitations in providing care and cannot pretend to be God).  Common denominator being all the negatives in this conceptual framework.  Who actually wants to live by the principle of avoidance?  If we are to name this demon in our lives, we might call it fear.  I refuse to see my daily life through lenses of fear.  And more often than not, this comes about when we fail to be intentional.  Don't fail any longer.

If God is putting one of His children into my care, I want to discern that this bestowal is from God and move in a way pleasing to Him.  In the same way, I want to find myself honoring Him in all areas of my life through intentionality.  I INTEND to build strong friendships with other believers and also meet a godly man to serve alongside, if God wills it.  By glorifying God through fellowship in the body, these ends may be accomplished.

Very few characters in the Bible use vague language about what they hope maybe they can do for God.  Most often, you will see men and women of God proclaiming what they are already doing or will do.  The Holy Spirit teaches us what to say.  Saying it to God helps us seal it in our own minds.  CS Lewis said, "I don't pray to change God.  I pray to God because it changes me."  Because of what Christ did on the cross, we are called to pray with certainty that what the Spirit leads us to say, God will bring about.  The words of our Spirit-led prayers transform US.  The authors write with assurance that God is the Finisher of our faith. 

Look at King David.  "Bless the Lord, O my soul."  If you like grammar as much as I do, you will note that David is using a direct address.  If you don't like grammar, here's what that means (but really, how do people not like grammar): 

He is INTENTIONALLY telling his own soul to bless the Lord! 

That fearfully and wonderfully made (Ps 139) body and soul is commanded by David to bless God.  Make my prayer to be no different than David's.

Wear this, not that

I am so grateful that God sends His Spirit to enlighten His people, time and again.  In those times where God does not feel present, pray pray pray that you will know His presence!  That we may move from the expectations to FEEL toward the joy of KNOWING is one of the greatest triumphs we might experience here on this earth. Paul compared everything in his life to the joy of KNOWING God (Phil 3:8) - and he called it all horse s*** (or some other similarly crass term).  King James blushed and just called it rubbish, but we all know Paul was not a shy author.

We will not always feel His presence, but we know He promises that He will never forsake us (Heb 13:5)
We will not always feel like attending a church service, but we know He deserves praise, and praise is commonly found in corporate worship (practically... all of the Psalms)
We will not always feel that God is fairly treating the poor, but we know that a sparrow does not escape the concern of God (Matt 10:29)
We sometimes may feel that we are strong and independent, denying our need for a Savior.  But we had better know that this feeling is fleeting - to realize that He is life.  He is our oxygen.  He is the abundant life!

That people may not see the need of a Savior is an honest reality in our modern world, and as Christians, we had better know a response to this very important question of need.  It is not difficult to know the cause of war when the enemy presents itself clearly, and I may not feel that indifference is a threat to the Truth.  When my enemy looks to be a peaceful human being not looking to duel, I am going to look like a real punk if I begin sparring with him - using my Sword of the Spirit.  You say, 'En garde,' and he makes no attempt to draw any recognizable weapon.  If we examine this situation, might we conclude that his shield and his demeanor are now to be his weapon of choice?  Or the onlooker who perceives an attack on a defenseless individual.  Does he use this as a weapon?  Or my fear of being shamed.  He can use ME as a weapon against ME.  Like swinging them around by their own ponytail!

I cannot express in words how difficult our calling to fight for Truth in the event of indifference.  In our post-modern society, our enemy has changed His tactics.  Why are we still wearing red coats, like a bunch of targets?  Was that EVER the attire God told us to wear?  Our real battle gear is described fully in Paul's letters to the Ephesians in chapter 6.  I mean, look at this uniform.  It's genius.

1. You've got a Belt of Truth - going to battle with the correct information, motive, and against the true enemy
2. Breastplate of Righteousness - onlookers may see your preceding and current good works and glorify God (Mt 5:16)
3. Shoes fitted by the readiness that comes from the Gospel of Peace - because no crosstrainer shoe can compete with their agility. 
4. Shield of Faith - a firm belief that God will do what He promises, blocking attacks against you from all angles.  Sidenote: if I am in fellowship with other believers, our shields can now join to provide even more coverage
5. Helmet of Salvation - covering your head, because clearly you need one to sustain life
6. Sword of the Spirit (which is the Word of God) - know God's Word by reading your Bible and listening to the Holy Spirit.  Satan knows the Word too.  So know it well enough to determine when he has manipulated what it really says.  
7. And constant prayer!

We, as Believers, must now examine the new rules of engagement to know how to strike - remembering that we are still battling against the same enemy (Satan) and not the human being in need of God's love (Ephesians 6:12).

Juliet's question revisited

Tonight's church service has my brain in a bit of a frenzy.  This post may contain more questions than statements.  I'm not ok with that, but I believe it's where I will have to start to eventually answer the questions.

Our campus pastor was speaking about the magnificence of God.  He used the vast nature of the universe to contrast the finite nature of man.  Ultimately, it was to highlight just how we should humbly accept our connection to God.  It's really a wonder He invests in humans.  We're small.. We die..We really are pretty insignificant insofar as size and longevity are concerned.

Stars on the other hand.  Stars.  Wow.  Apparently, the latest science believes there to be somewhere in the neighborhood of 70 sextillion stars in the known universe.  That's 1 seven and 22 zeros.  And stars are not small creations.  I mean, really.  The sun - star.  If I was a Hollywood celebrity, I would feel a little ridiculous, parading around, being called a star.  My record goes platinum.  Wonderful.  The sun can burn at my retinas from 93 million miles away.  Don't bother googling that distance.  I got this.

Now here is where my ADD took me on a ma...gical journey in my seat.  Those 70,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 stars all have names.  Isaiah 40:26 tells us that God brings them out one at a time and calls them each by name.  And verse 12 tells us that all those named stars fit within the span of His hand.  My mind was blown just now.  But now, this question remains.  Why is it even necessary to name them?  To name anything?

So, my search begins.  But this one thing I know: Capulets, Montagues, Renshaws - He know our names as well. 

Prayer Anew

I just got home from Singapore on Saturday night.  My body still hates me for the torment of 11 time zones.  But... being up at 4:40 this morning, the only other soul awake at this hour is God.

O satisfy us in the morning with Your loving kindness,

that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. (Psalm 90:14)

In some form or another, I try to pray the Lord's Prayer every morning.  I modernize the language a little and speak slowly - to make sure I pay attention to what I am saying.  In no way do I ever want my prayers to be mindless droning before the Creator of the Universe.  (distant second is when I pledge allegiance to the US flag and my mind is wandering toward lunch - awkward).

The parts in the prayer about "Thy will be done" are pretty easy to say with emphasis.  I mean, yeah, of course that's the goal.  I realize that turning over my s***storm of a life to an omniscient God is a pretty good idea.  And also the part about "daily bread" - uh huh uh huh, I want that too.  "Lead me not into temptation" - please.  I don't need any more of that.

The part that has been made new to me as of late is the closing statement.  I have always treated it as I do the closing remarks of a letter.  Sincerely.  Yours Truly.  Affectionately Yours.  KIT.  xoxo.  Meaning that I ignored it.  But wow, if I pray those last 3 descriptive nouns with a higher level of intentionality, my mind is blown.  CS Lewis said it pretty well:

"I don't pray to change God.  I pray to God because it changes me."

Yours is the Kingdom - meaning that it was God who established reign before the prince of darkness, and He will reign supreme through eternity

Yours is the Power - anything that God calls me to accomplish must be done by His strength

Yours is the Glory - because ultimately, in living in His Kingdom and acting by His Power are for His directives to be proclaimed.  His Word.  His Name. His Will.