May 9: Of Wonder, Mothers and Sheldon Cooper

1 Samuel 5:1-7:17

John 6:1-21

Psalm 106:13-31

Proverbs 14:32-33

If it had been the MIT crew team rowing up current on the Charles River in Boston at twilight and making little headway, and they saw a professor walking on the water towards them, then climbing into their boat, with seemingly no help, how do you think they would respond? Would they be frightened? Would they be in awe of their professor?  

Personally, I don't think they would be.  I think their reaction would be to believe it was the concealed use of some technology, and if they put their minds to it they could figure it out themselves.  They'd probably be prodding the teacher to tell them how he did it.  "Remote controlled underwater drone?"  "Attachment to your shoes you dumped before getting in the boat?"  I think the last possibility they'd entertain was "miracle".  

Further to this, I suggest that if it had been modern man that had found the Ark and displayed it next to the statue of David and the next day found David flat on the ground, modern man would still be looking for some natural explanation.  Consider: it cost the Philistines successive plagues, to the cities of Ashdod and Gath, before they responded with fear and awe, and recognized God was trying to tell them something.  It's interesting to see how many cities have been hit by this pandemic, and how so many continue to resist the idea of God, more so One that communicates.  Why do we struggle so?

Allow me a humble hypothesis: the arrogant misappropriation of science.  I believe science begins with humility - I don't know, therefore I seek.  The problem is, scientific achievement has made arrogant many who do not practice the scientific method - who no longer remember they may NOT know.  I think it is that humility of ignorance that lets us approach in wonder, and recognize awesomeness.  

Perhaps an example: the stars.  To many, they are no simply massive balls of hot gas measurable distances away.  But to those who begin with humility, they see past the balls of hot gas and wonder how it is they sit so intricately distanced that the universe remains in such balance as to allow the Earth to revolve around the sun and sustain life.  Science becomes a launching point for wonder and awe, a means to God.  

Hey, but don't take it from me.  Take it from Sheldon Cooper, in the video linked below.   And on the eve of Mother's Day here in the US, a shoutout to my mother, whom I love dearly.  Mom, the shoutout begins, fittingly enough, at 2:20 on the video.  

Father, thank you for science, and all that it brings.  May it never close our eyes to wonder.  As we delve deeper and deeper into the world you've created, may we not be blinded by the pride of discovery; rather, may each step open our eyes more and more in wonder to your power.

And thank You for mothers everywhere.

Here's the link: https://youtu.be/VxIY0iHaVXU