Confounded

Luke 8:35-37  Then people came out to see what had happened, and when they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. Those who had seen it told them how the one who had been possessed by demons had been healed. Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them; for they were seized with great fear.


We so want to be able to explain everything. I think it is more difficult to observe what confounds us and accept that we will never be able to explain it all. My background is science and as a scientist I know we have figured out many things. In some cases each time we've made a discovery we have exposed even more complicated and confounding realities. Instead of finding answers we have found more questions. Those who want to think highly of their human intelligence puff up the little we know and the insignificant that we can explain in order to elevate their prideful view of the world. They sit at the pinnacle of creation and nothing exists that could understand more than they do. Others run into things they can't understand and wish they never experienced it at all. I have watched people witness an instantaneous spiritual healing and seen them shiver in fear standing in the presence of the mysterious unknown. Their response is then to avoid an situations like that because  they can't face the unknowable. Some people face death that way and live in fear of life and fear of death. In the gospel those who witnessed the man rescued from demons asked Jesus to leave their town. What they observed made them fearful of the power that was in their presence.


It takes courage to seek more and more understanding of our world and I applaud scientists who strive to find more answers to more questions, progress has come through the hearts and minds of those with such courage. On the other hand I wish they all had the courage to admit that they will never understand the complexities of our world and be willing to stand in the presence of the mysterious unknowable who does.