God is under no obligation to make sense to you. Do you believe that? I don’t know if I do, but I had the thought after reading the opening line in Neil deGrasse Tyson’s new book, Astrophysics for People in a Hurry. He wrote, “The Universe is under no obligation to make sense to you.” I replaced the word, “universe” for “God” and found the statement thought provoking. I would never have claimed to be entitled, despite my status as a millennial, for God to make sense to me, but I have certainly spent my time, money, and resources, in pursuit of becoming a Presbyterian minister, and, in part, attempting to make sense of God. My path may be unique but my efforts are not. I meet with people who are attempting to make sense of God on a regular basis. In death, life, marriage, politics, so on and so forth, people are trying to make sense of God’s presence, or absence, in their life, this world, and beyond. Occasionally, I decide God needs to reveal more to me, as if what has been given thus far, is simply not enough. I am not alone. I know people in their 20’s and 30’s are longing to know God. That is noble. But perhaps we can take a step back and ask the question, “Do I believe God is obligated to make sense to me?” If we answer the question, “yes.” On what basis would we stake our claim? If we are willing to say, “no, God doesn’t have to make sense to me.” How will we live in the tension? What questions are we willing to let go of, or take up, in the pursuit of faith in a God that is more dynamic and complex than our comprehension? Can we consider what God might be calling us to in the midst of these questions? Certainly God does not need our comprehension in order to work in this world, not that God would require our ignorance either. Are you looking to make sense of God? Do you need to let go of a question or two? Are you slightly interested in Astrophysics? If so, let’s start a conversation over coffee. See you at church and around town. ~Josh
