18 "Hear, you deaf; And look, you blind, that you may see.
19 Who is blind but My servant, Or deaf as My messenger whom I send? Who is blind as he who is perfect, And blind as the Lord's servant?
20 Seeing many things, but you do not observe; Opening the ears, but he does not hear."
21 The Lord is well pleased for His righteousness' sake; He will exalt the law and make it honorable.
We can be challenged to be people who truly "see" and "hear," with spiritual eyes and ears, that is. God wants us to experience His wisdom and learn more about Him, and in so doing, we learn more about ourselves and the purpose He has given to us. Through His Word, we can receive wisdom about the complex issues we face, and we do well to present the questions we have to an all-knowing God, who wants to share His wisdom with us.
Our God can bring us wisdom and understanding - He can provide the answers to the big questions of our lives and can provide our lives with meaning. In Ecclesiastes 12, we read a passage that can challenge us when we try to "figure things out" regarding meaning and purpose in life:
11 The words of the wise are like goads, and the words of scholars are like well-driven nails, given by one Shepherd.
12 And further, my son, be admonished by these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is wearisome to the flesh.
13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man's all.
14 For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil.
Probably next Monday, the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee will approve President Trump's nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court, Neil Gorsuch. And, in the midst of last week's hearing, which was filled with discussion of judicial philosophy and the potential justice's appropriate deflection of "gotcha" questions from some senators, there was a rather light moment that I wanted to call attention to.
It came from former Presidential candidate Sen. Ted Cruz. The Washington Examiner has the story, which says that Cruz posed the question: "what is the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe and everything?" This was apparently a topic "which Cruz said Gorsuch has some familiarity." The answer from the potential justice: "42."
Pop culture reference alert here! This is a reference to a book and movie called The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. According to the Examiner article, this references a plot point "in which a supercomputer built by aliens spends 7.5 million years contemplating the answer to that question. While the computer, known as Deep Thought, comes up with an answer — 42 — it never learned what the actual question was."
Gorsuch "explained that he would sometimes ask that question to nervous clerks being sworn in to put them at ease."
True, the ultimate question of life is never defined in the Hitchhiker's Guide. And, the big-time computer came up with a nonsensical answer, without knowing the question. I think in our humanity, people are seeking answers to questions that they do not define. That could lead to chaos and confusion, and a general lack of clarity. Because there is a void, there is a longing - for love, for purpose, for peace. That's what the gospel offers - an answer, an assurance that no matter what the questions one might have, even if he or she doesn't arrive at all the answers, we can develop hope and understanding in God.
The so-called "ultimate question" pertains to life and the universe. If we recognize that God is the creator of the universe, that matter did not arise randomly from non-matter, but that it is the product of a designer, that can tell us that we serve a great and mighty God, and it can remind us that if the universe is His handiwork and is held in His hands, then He can hold our lives and direct us in the way that He would intend, a way that is best, a way in which we can experience answers to the questions that penetrate our minds.
+++++
Our God can bring us wisdom and understanding - He can provide the answers to the big questions of our lives and can provide our lives with meaning. In Ecclesiastes 12, we read a passage that can challenge us when we try to "figure things out" regarding meaning and purpose in life:
11 The words of the wise are like goads, and the words of scholars are like well-driven nails, given by one Shepherd.
12 And further, my son, be admonished by these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is wearisome to the flesh.
13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man's all.
14 For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil.
Probably next Monday, the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee will approve President Trump's nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court, Neil Gorsuch. And, in the midst of last week's hearing, which was filled with discussion of judicial philosophy and the potential justice's appropriate deflection of "gotcha" questions from some senators, there was a rather light moment that I wanted to call attention to.
It came from former Presidential candidate Sen. Ted Cruz. The Washington Examiner has the story, which says that Cruz posed the question: "what is the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe and everything?" This was apparently a topic "which Cruz said Gorsuch has some familiarity." The answer from the potential justice: "42."
Pop culture reference alert here! This is a reference to a book and movie called The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. According to the Examiner article, this references a plot point "in which a supercomputer built by aliens spends 7.5 million years contemplating the answer to that question. While the computer, known as Deep Thought, comes up with an answer — 42 — it never learned what the actual question was."
Gorsuch "explained that he would sometimes ask that question to nervous clerks being sworn in to put them at ease."
According to the U.K. website, The Independent, the late author of the book, Douglas Adams, really didn't have any sort of special secret meaning to the number. He is quoted as saying: "The answer to this is very simple," adding, "It was a joke. It had to be a number, an ordinary, smallish number, and I chose that one. Binary representations, base 13, Tibetan monks are all complete nonsense. I sat on my desk, stared in to the garden and thought 42 will do. I typed it out. End of story."
That 2011 article, centered around the release of a book called, 42: Douglas Adams' Amazingly Accurate Answer to Life, the Universe and Everything, actually listed 42 things relative to that number. Several examples:
The world's first book printed with movable type is the Gutenberg Bible which has 42 lines per page.
In east Asia, including parts of China, tall buildings often avoid having a 42nd floor because of tetraphobia – fear of the number four because the words "four" and "death" sound the same (si or sei). Likewise, four 14, 24, etc.
Toy Story character Buzz Lightyear's spaceship is named 42.
In the Book of Revelation, it is prophesied that the beast will hold dominion over the earth for 42 months.Oh, and I came across a BBC article about what readers thought about 42 and the meaning of life. One response was:
Matthew 1:17: "All the generations, then, from Abraham until David were 14 generations, and from David until the deportation to Babylon 14 generations, and from the deportation to Babylon until the Christ 14 generations." All things lead to the Christ. An obvious answer to life, the universe, and everything.I think that's pretty insightful. Because it is a relationship with Him that gives our lives meaning. He is the answer, and through His wisdom we can find answers to the big questions of our lives. For example, why am I here? Well, the Westminster Shorter Catechism addresses that - the "chief end of man" is to "glorify God and to enjoy him forever." When we lack wisdom, the Bible instructs us to seek God.
True, the ultimate question of life is never defined in the Hitchhiker's Guide. And, the big-time computer came up with a nonsensical answer, without knowing the question. I think in our humanity, people are seeking answers to questions that they do not define. That could lead to chaos and confusion, and a general lack of clarity. Because there is a void, there is a longing - for love, for purpose, for peace. That's what the gospel offers - an answer, an assurance that no matter what the questions one might have, even if he or she doesn't arrive at all the answers, we can develop hope and understanding in God.
The so-called "ultimate question" pertains to life and the universe. If we recognize that God is the creator of the universe, that matter did not arise randomly from non-matter, but that it is the product of a designer, that can tell us that we serve a great and mighty God, and it can remind us that if the universe is His handiwork and is held in His hands, then He can hold our lives and direct us in the way that He would intend, a way that is best, a way in which we can experience answers to the questions that penetrate our minds.
No comments:
Post a Comment