This past weekend, Dave spoke briefly about the religious trend of Biology vs. Theology and how the science of life is stealing away the mystery of life. People now require detailed explanations for unexplainable events, so much so that they have left no room for surprise, mystery or miracles. And after a few days of pondering this, I feel like I have, unfortunately, fallen into this category.
I've done a lot of research and study on the historical, sociological and political backgrounds of the Bible. I understand what the economy was like when Paul was traveling around, writing letters. I see Jesus not only as the son of God but also as a huge political figure who mocked the leaders of Jerusalem by parading into town on a donkey. I understand the languages the Bible was written in and how modern day translations are unable to encompass/express the stories completely as our language does not allow for feminine or masculine voices. In other words, I get the Science behind it all.
And in doing so, I've begun to take on a thought process that doesn't allow for mysteries and miracles. For the past year or so, I have believed that the miracles written about in the new Testemant didn't occur but instead the authors of each text attempted to get a point across and found a way to do so, by elaborating stories or using metaphors.
In other words, I think I've been thinking too much.
But I do struggle with the idea of miracles. Or at least I did until my mom told me C.S. Lewis' thought on miracles:
miracles are normal acts that are sped up; they happen in God's time.For instance, the miracle of water turning into wine. In our timeframe, water falls from the clouds and wets the soil that releases nutrients that feeds the grape seed that grows a plant where the grape is plucked, squashed and stored until wine is made. So water does turn into wine...it just normally takes a really long time. C.S. Lewis thinks that miracles are when God speeds up the process...it's done on God's time, not ours.
Now
that I can wrap my brain around.
And for awhile I thought that not believing in miracles didn't really matter much. But now I think, how can I be awe of someone or believe in something larger than myself, if I dimish it/him to my own level? I've taken the greatness out of God and have made him just a man. And that does make a difference. A negative difference.
So I think I need to think less. And in doing so, I hope to offer up more space in my life, heart, faith for mysteries and miracles.
