God Notions

So often, we try to contain the unknown to explain, control, and manage what we don’t know.

We classify our lack of knowledge or understanding by surrounding it and filling in the holes with explanations of what we know.

The Star of Bethlehem is Jupiter and Saturn aligning. Someone told me the last time this happened was 800 years ago. How can I be sure of this when all history I have been taught is changing and being rewritten? I cannot be sure; I wasn’t there. I certainly don’t know of any 800 year-olds or ancients from 2020 plus years ago still alive to ask. Would their eye witness be provable?

Speculation is surrounding and corralling the unknown to make it manageable. I can put belief in my pocket and continue about my day. Secure in the knowledge I am in control because I know or have a pretty good guess.

I have been told the death of Christ Jesus wasn’t an actual death. He possibly was just unconscious, and without today’s medical science, was thought dead.

Many nationalities have the narrative of a flood. It is all debunked in Wikipedia, and science says it isn’t so.

Science is real, but it is not God.

Religion has so many of us working so hard to be: good enough, kind enough, generous, forgiving, holy enough, that we are exhausted and defeated. Religion will beat godliness into us.

I was talking to a very religious person recently. They were telling me about their perpetual striving to reach “good enough.” “How do you have peace?” I asked. “I don’t.” was the reply.

Where is the Peace? Where is the Joy? Where is the Hope for anything different from this never-ending cycle of becoming?

Religion is real, but it is not God.

Could the answer be so simple it could not possibly be true? Could Truth be so true that understanding the how or why is not the purpose of Truth. Could the purpose of Truth be just that, Truth? Could Truth be as vast as the universe, that we are not knowledgeable enough to understand? Can we not grasp the depth of the truth of how much we don’t know, control, or understand?

The writers of The Declaration of Independence wrote: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator…”

Where could that truth have come? The truth, that all men are created equal, endowed with a quality, ability, and value. Did it come from science, from religion?

Could it be possible that the answer came to us as a gift to unwrap? Could the answer be as simple as a baby wrapped in a manger? 

Can we accept that the answer to our battle to overcome our anguish and the hurt that separates us from Peace, Joy, Hope, and Love lies in the open arms of The One who overcame and paid the cost for us all?

The religious leaders could not be bothered to walk the small distance to find the promised Messiah they read about and taught about in ancient scripture. The Wise Men studied the stars and scripture and found what had been promised many years before. Here is an example of knowledge and science coming together. What we do with this is our choice: We can dismiss it because it doesn’t fit our idea of truth. We can search for the answer, and when we find it, continue on our way, satisfied. Or what could the possibilities be if we stop, not just to learn, but get to know, Him who wants to be known?

Could it be, in the act of seeking, finding, learning, and then knowing, we find we are known? We find fellowship with the One who seeks us out because His desire is to be fully known. To be known not for gain, but connection, friendship, love, companionship, and sharing.

Could we possibly dare to confess our lack of knowledge and embrace the One who knows all things, past, present, and future?

Good things happen in the unknown, possibilities we could not even begin to dream.

Look in the manger this Christmas. Look to see who Jesu is, not just a baby, but God incarnate. He wants to be known so He can share the unknown. Let go of the knowledge you hold so tightly this Christmas and contemplate the possibilities in the Unknown.

Holy Father,

You are perfect in all ways. Nothing is lacking in You.

Thank you for wanting and willing to be known. Help us to use science and knowledge to seek Your Truth.

Guide each of us as we seek you. Reveal Yourself to us as we grow in our relationship with You.

Thank you for Your beautiful Son, Jesus.

Thank you, Jesus, for coming to us that we can know.

It is in Your name; we come, we praise, we ask all things.