December 21, 2024 – Living in Wonder: Finding Mystery and Meaning in a Secular Age

“…the world is not what we think it is. It is so much weirder. It is so much darker. It is so, so much brighter and more beautiful. We do not create meaning; meaning is already there, waiting to be discovered. Christians of the first millennium knew this. We have lost that knowledge, abandoned faith in this claim, and forgotten how to search.” (Dreher, Rod. Living in Wonder: Finding Mystery and Meaning in a Secular Age (p. 13). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.)

“They came to Bethsaida. Some people brought a blind man to him and begged him to touch him. He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village, and when he had put saliva on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, “Can you see anything?” And the man looked up and said, “I can see people, but they look like trees, walking.” Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again, and he looked intently, and his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. Then he sent him away to his home, saying, “Do not even go into the village.” Mark 8:22-26

“The world is not what we think – it is much weirder”

I will admit that there are some days that are much weirder than others. Some experiences are weirder than others. Of course we know some people who are much weirder than others. But that is life – that is what makes this world such an interesting place. I think of the scripture I have chosen for this devotion, realizing that the man has such a weird comment to Jesus once he is healed. In fact this text gets weirder, for Jesus must heal the man a second time. I believe this is the only time Jesus needs to heal a man a second time for his healing to be effective. It is just plain weird.

But that is the kind of G-d we have – we have a G-d who is wild, wonderful, and weird – sort of like the state of West Virginia. Sorry to anyone who is from West VA – half of my family lives there – and there is no one weirder than me.

Anyway, we have a G-d that will use the weird, the wonderful and the wild to let us know of G-d’s presence. This world is weird and whacky. And our G-d will use both to let us know we are known, and we are loved. I mean, how much weirder can you get than Jesus using his own saliva to heal this man. Look, I do not spit on my hands before distributing the bread for communion. No one wants that. Yet Jesus spit on his hands and healed a blind man.

Just think of the ways G-d might be trying to get your attention – but you are thinking it is just too weird. My friends, that may just be the point.

Pastor Dave