Limits

Friday 1/26/18 6:56 AM

I am currently reading God and the Multiverse, by Victor Stenger. I have always enjoyed reading about astronomy and cosmology, somehow drawn to the unimaginable immensity of the universe while trying to reconcile what seems to be my own insignificance in comparison. I am currently reading about how quantum mechanics influenced the formation of galaxies and how the breaking of symmetries caused exponential inflation in the earliest moments of our universe’s existence. The Planck time and Planck length scales at which these events transpired are equally unimaginable. I think I understand some of the ideas being put forth by the author but trying to wrap my head around the details makes my head swim.

I believe God created the universe but, when I read about quantum mechanics, things that previously seemed obvious become clouded and murky. Today I read Psalm 139:11-12, “If I say, ‘Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,’ even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.” I also read Isaiah 55:8-9, “‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.’” When humanity engages in scientific endeavors to understand the minute complexity and vast immensity of our universe we do so with our human senses and from our human point of view. This limits our ability to perceive that which lies outside the realm of our senses or to understand that which lies outside our point of view and philosophical perspective.

Perhaps those gray areas I have when trying to understand quantum mechanics, or the idea of multiverses, lie outside humanity’s ability to perceive and comprehend and will always be shrouded in mystery. It is hard to admit but maybe the thoughts of God are above my human ability to perceive and perhaps the things I see as being shrouded in mystery and darkness are plainly obvious to God, as Isaiah and David suggest. In the meantime, I’m going to enjoy exploring the limits of my understanding and marvel at and revel in the wonderful, complex, immense universe in which I live.

Risk and Reward

Tuesday 1/23/18 5:14 AM

This morning I seem to be having difficulty concentrating and staying awake. My devotional theme for the week is Going Inward. In her book Death by Bread Alone, Dorothee Soelle writes, “The inward journey is an exercise, something that is cultivated; it requires concentration and attentiveness. Above all, the inward journey requires the greatest sincerity of which we are capable. It entails a risk – the risk of shame if nothing is there, the risk of emptiness if one does not change as a result, the risk of one’s own person – and this risk is no less than that encountered on the way to another person. For us moderns, perhaps, fear of being ridiculous in our own eyes is the greatest shame.” Given my lack of concentration and attentiveness today I have a feeling that an inward journey is not in the cards for me this morning. The good news: There is no risk of finding an emptiness inside, no risk of having to change, and no risk of seeing myself as being ridiculous. The bad news: No risk, no reward.

Serving with Joy

Thursday 1/18/18 4:05 AM

This is the opening prayer for my devotional material this week. “Heavenly Father, as the day dawns and calls me to my labors I ask you to enable me to gladly do the work to which you beckon me. May I do it as a servant of Christ doing the will of God from my heart.” Over the years I have been blessed with work that definitely enables me to do it gladly. While my work as a teacher involves some things that I do not like very much, like the meeting I have to attend today, overall, I love my work and it brings me great joy.

My psalm for the week is Psalm 90, which includes these words. “Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, for as many years as we have seen trouble.” My early morning time of meditating on God sets the tone for my day and allows me to live joyfully, knowing God is with me in everything.

Basil Pennington’s words in A Place Apart are a good reminder for me today. “You have your work. It will be more meaningful for you, whatever it may be, if you take all the opportunities it affords to serve and give joy to others; if you reverence the things you work with and are conscious that your working with them gives them an opportunity to express themselves at a higher level through your activity and love; if you share some of the fruit of your labor with those less fortunate; it you do all for the love and glory of the heavenly Father, knowing then that your work is part of the transformation of the whole creation, including especially yourself.” I need to change my attitude about my meeting today. Rather than being annoyed that I have to attend it I need to look for opportunities to serve those in my department and to bring them joy.

Struggles and Hips

Wednesday 1/3/18 6:24 AM

The last couple of years have been difficult years in my relationship with God. My devotional life has dropped off and I’ve also struggled with maintaining my regular exercise routine. I’ve withdrawn from many of my extracurricular responsibilities and have kept pretty much to myself. Slowly but surely things are coming back into line and, fortunately, my devotional time and my exercise routine have returned to semi-normalcy.

This past summer I fell and bruised my hip and, since that time, I have had intermittent pain in my right hip and leg. I went to the doctor a few weeks ago and he thinks I either have bursitis or an inflamed IT band, the tendon that attaches the hip to the knee. Later this morning I am going to physical therapy appointment that is designed to strengthen the surrounding muscles and to remove any scar tissue.

My reading today included Genesis 32, the story of Jacob wrestling with God and having his name changed to Israel, one who struggles with God. After wrestling with God all night, God touched the socket of Jacob’s hip and wrenched it to the point where Jacob limped when he walked. The chapter ends with these words, “The sun rose above (Jacob) as he passed Peniel, and he was limping because of his hip. Therefore to this day the Israelites do not eat the tendon attached to the socket of the hip, because the socket of Jacob’s hip was touched near the tendon.”

I find the soreness in my hip to be somewhat annoying, especially when I’m climbing stairs. After reading the story of Jacob’s struggle with God maybe I can change my thought process and think instead of my struggle with God over the last year. Thank God that he doesn’t abandon me when I struggle to believe. My hip can be a reminder of his presence with me.