The Mystery of Life

Ecclesiastes 11:5 As you do not know the way the spirit comes to the bones in the womb [4] of a woman with child, so you do not know the work of God who makes everything.
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I am increasingly aware, as a father of four, of the miracle of life. Cliche, sure, but true. To be aware of a miracle is to be knowledgeable about our lack of knowledge. How does the human spirit become attached to the physical body in the womb? When? That's the politically charged question, and one that is certainly mysterious (although, if I dare, still within our pay grade to discuss). It might be easier to deny the existence of the human spirit entirely, or to redefine it as the chemical byproducts of the brain, but I reject those beliefs as the antithesis to my personal experience. Human life is a mystery and a miracle, but it most certainly IS human life, which is distinct from animals and vegetables. Human life is essentially spiritual, even before it is physical. Our bodies are mere shells. They are not us. Nowhere is this more obvious than at a birth or funeral. Seeing the face of a newborn child, knowing that this person is experiencing life, just as we have, is a shock to our senses and sensibilities. Where did he/she come from exactly? Conversely, observing the dead body of a person who once walked and talked with us we become acutely aware of the absence of the spirit. Where did he/she go exactly? These are mysteries that should humble us and cause us to approach God with reverence. He is the giver of life and the author of our story, and yet we have a hand in the subplot too. What does it mean to be human? That's the question that we all pose with our daily efforts to live a meaningful autobiography.

Just a Passin Through

Psalm 39:4 “O Lord, make me know my endand what is the measure of my days;let me know how fleeting I am!5 Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths,and my lifetime is as nothing before you.Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath! Selah6 Surely a man goes about as a shadow!Surely for nothing [4] they are in turmoil;man heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather! 7 “And now, O Lord, for what do I wait?My hope is in you.8 Deliver me from all my transgressions. ... 11 When you discipline a manwith rebukes for sin,you consume like a moth what is dear to him;surely all mankind is a mere breath! Selah 12 “Hear my prayer, O Lord,and give ear to my cry;hold not your peace at my tears!For I am a sojourner with you,a guest, like all my fathers.
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When we were kids we used to sing a hymn, "The world is not my home, I'm just a passin through. My treasures are laid up, somewhere beyond the blue." I think of that hymn as a read this psalm and I meditate with a certain sense of awe today because my fourth child was just born a few hours ago. My son, a mortal creation like myself, has started the adventure of this short life. For a few years we will suffer together under the various afflictions of our current human condition, and then, eventually, we may both enjoy eternal love and fellowship beyond this world. This side of life is short but feels long sometimes - the other side, in God's Kingdom, is forever-long and I'm sure it flies by like to grandest of days.

Tday was a grand day and it certainly did fly by. I am so thankful for today and I see the nature of God shining through today. I love Him.