Life Together, pt. 6—Embrace Wonder

Embrace Wonder
We value the mysteries of faith and life, welcoming differing perspectives and life experiences. We accept our finite ability to resolve all uncertainty.

Romans 11:33 CEV
Who can measure the wealth and wisdom and knowledge of God? Who can understand his decisions or explain what he does?”

Earthly does not reveal the of God.

1 Corinthians 2:6-10 NRSV
Yet among the mature we do speak wisdom, though it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to perish. But we speak God’s wisdom, secret and hidden, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age understood this; for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the human heart conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him”— these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.

Uncertainty leads to a desire for .

“Our task in the present…is to live as resurrection people in between Easter and the final day, with our Christian life, corporate and individual, in both worship and mission, as a sign of the first and a foretaste of the second.”  —NT Wright, Surprised by Hope

Question for Reflection:
Are there spaces in your world where you clearly see the tension of the “Now” and “Not Yet?”

“For it is better for mercy’s sake to take up a case, or to suffer [disgust] rather than to show hard feeling.”  —Ambrose of Milan, Duties of the Clergy

2 Corinthians 5:17 NRSV
So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!

There is a transformational in the love in Christ. That love lives in us now and we have the power to love and transform as He loved us. 

Proverbs 20:5 NRSV

The purposes in the human mind are like deep water, but the intelligent will draw them out.

“We judge people in areas where we’re vulnerable to shame and we’re all just walking each other home.”  —Brené Brown 

Our judgements often reflect our own .  

1 Thessalonians 5:14-15, 18 NRSV
And we urge you, beloved, to admonish the idlers, encourage the faint hearted, help the weak, be patient with all of them. See that none of you repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to all… give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Matthew 18:1-5 CEV
About this time the disciples came to Jesus and asked him who would be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Jesus called for a child to come over and stand near him. Then he said: I promise you this. If you don’t change and become like a child, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven. But if you are as humble as this child, you are the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And when you welcome one of these children because of me, you welcome me.”

“I wonder, what if, let’s try” —Elmo

Answer Key: wisdom, mystery; control, power; others; insecurities