“The ancient church fathers used to talk freely of “unknowing.” It was their contention that the end of knowledge had much to teach us. They believed we could learn as much about God in what we didn’t know as in what we did know. Our inability to answer all the questions became an opportunity to learn more about God. When our intellect fell short, our souls connected with the reality of God. There, in our unknowing, God showed up unexpectedly.” “Dangerous Wonder”, Michael Yaconelli

“For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known.” 1 Corinthians 13:12

“Dangerous Wonder” is a book written by Mike Yaconelli. He takes the reader on a journey back to child-like or childhood faith. He makes the case that: “Childlike faith looks a lot like the faith of Thomas—daring, reckless, bold, and aggressive.” His point is that over the years, as children grow older, they are tamed or “discouraged” from asking the “Why? Question” often enough. But the truth of our faith in the G-d we hardly know comes in daring to ask questions which we know may not have any answers.

My faith journey has confirmed that we can know G-d more in what we do not know (about G-d), than in what we do know. Or better said, the more we learn about G-d, the more we realize how much we still need to learn — because there is so much about G-d’s working and G-d’s presence in the world that will always remain beyond our understanding. For example, as Christians we profess that G-d created everything, yet where was G-d before the creation existed? And if G-d is everywhere, all the time, in everything, then does time really exist — or is it a human invention? I have always taught that if we knew everything about G-d, then we would soon run the risk of developing contempt and in losing the “mystery” of and for G-d — for this happens in all the ways that we develop full knowledge. Once we know how to solve the “Rubics Cube”, it loses its mystery — and thus it’s claim on our wonder.

There is so much that we do not know about G-d — and what we do know is what has been revealed to us through Jesus Christ. And even if we can only see as if in a “mirror dimly”, we continue to peer into the unknowing — knowing G-d is always there peering back at us — always present — always….

Pastor Dave

September 24 — Psalm 146

“Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD, O my soul! I will praise the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God all my life long. Do not put your trust in princes, in mortals, in whom there is no help. When their breath departs, they return to the earth; on that very day their plans perish. Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD their God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them; who keeps faith forever; who executes justice for the oppressed; who gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets the prisoners free; the LORD opens the eyes of the blind. The LORD lifts up those who are bowed down; the LORD loves the righteous. The LORD watches over the strangers; he upholds the orphan and the widow, but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin. The LORD will reign forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations. Praise the LORD!”

The contrast between G-d and humankind is often used in the Psalms as a way of dealing with the problem of fear in the face of human threats: Trust G-d and be unafraid of mortals. Here the contrast is used to address the problem of trusting in various leaders who make promises to save people from the predicaments of human and historical existence. The problem with human leaders is that they don’t “keep faith forever”; or their plans and promises die with them, or they were never planned for action in the first place. With their death, or the death of their promises, the hopes of those who trusted in them are dashed.

I should note that this Psalm does not say that leaders are unnecessary or not useful. But it does warn against trusting any and all human leaders for salvation. Hope based on what passes away is doomed to disappointment.

In contrast, we trust and believe that “the Lord will reign forever”. When we place our trust and our hope on the reign of G-d through the promises of Jesus Christ, then attaching ourselves to Jesus’ reign is founded on a reality that does not pass away. The G-d of Israel is king of the universe — the G-d of Jacob is our stronghold.

Let us Pray:

Blessed indeed are they who put their trust in you, O God, our sure rock and refuge. Guard us from giving to any other the allegiance that belongs only to you. Shine upon us with the brightness of your light, that we may love you with a pure heart and praise you forever; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

Amen.