The Bible is God’s Word. Yes, it has been written by man but it has been inspired by The Creator of everything. Regardless, I believe everyone can learn from the thousands of years of wisdom on how to live that it contains.
Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not on “thine own understanding”
Proverbs 3:5
“Thine own understanding.” What exactly is that? It seems to me “science” is as good a definition as anything.
So this morning I googled “Bible what does science tell us,” and came across this article from Time Magazine. It’s a great read, so I’m sharing it as my post for today.
Enjoy!
https://www.google.com/amp/amp.timeinc.net/time/77676/why-science-does-not-disprove-god
Do you know the Bible story of Martha and Mary?
Jesus visited the home of two sisters. He sat and taught – doing His thing. Mary chose to “sit at his feet and listen.” Martha busied herself tidying and preparing – complaining about no one helping.
Who was right – or acted in a better way? Here’s my modern take on the lesson of this tale.
First off, the characters in this drama today would be Marty and Mary, or Martha and Mark, or Marty and Mark. The teaching applies to everyone, anyone.
Historically, it was more notable – almost shocking in the 1st century – for the actors to be women. Jesus was emphasizing the discipleship of all people.
Second, neither sibling was doing wrong. Both were ‘working’ at good things, learning and providing food. Jesus simply pointed out that food for thought was the more important at this time.
I mean, how often do you have The Messiah in your house?
Third, it’s the attitude, not the activity, that Jesus was trying to stress. It was perfectly fine for Martha to get dinner together. Her lack was in speaking out against what her sister desired in that moment.
A righteous evening would have gone like this:
I imagine how my extended family gathers for special-Sunday dinners like Easter or someone’s birthday. Let’s say Jesus shows up.
We’d be at my brother-and-sister-in-laws’ house. It’s always immaculate, no pre-cleaning needed. Dan is into hospitality and cooking, so the appetizers would already be out and there’d be plenty of time to socialize. The main course would almost be ready.
Jesus might speak now or just meet the folks and impress with how much He knows about us, hosts included.
Eventually, it’d be time. Everyone would help swap in the dinner dishes, and we’d pick our spots. Good food and some light conversation would be served.
As the eating winds down, the serious talking builds up. Again, it’s all hands clearing the table (or as many can fit in the not-overly-large kitchen).
We then play a sort of social musical chairs, switching every now and then to catch up with everyone. There’d be dessert. Yum.
I can hear Jesus gradually getting the whole group’s attention. He’d’ve grabbed the spinny chair that’s right in between the dining and sitting halves of the room. He’d slowly turn every now and then, catching eyes intently.
After a while, His voice would be the only sound, into the wee hours…
Tuesday’s mean dialysis, followed by eating and sleeping. And never feeling good.
I hadn’t been up in the middle of the night – for a change, so it was afternoon when I ‘opened’ my Bible (online at BibleGateway.com) and searched on verses about “waking up.”
I felt guilty about resting so much.
Honestly, in my mind, I was expecting Psalms and Proverbs (“How long will you lie down, O sluggard?”) to be tops in the results, but they weren’t.
Instead, I found myself in 1 Corinthians 15, in which the writer talks about death. A lot. (The connection to my search being “waking up from the sleep of the dead”).
I ended up reading the whole chapter and wondering what I really believed. I questioned how I am To Know What To Believe.
:50 ERV
I tell you this, … : Our bodies of flesh and blood cannot have a part in God’s kingdom. Something that will ruin can not have a part in something that never ruins.
Question: how can we know exactly what will happen when we die? Answer: we can’t, truly. Frankly, it’s all speculation and hearsay.
Now, I’m sad.
Paul presents a logical argument (literally, Ellicott’s commentary lists all the devices, like reductio ad absurdum and argumentum ad hominem) for our ultimate resurrection.
But we have no proof. We don’t know. We can only believe.
And one verse hit me very hard:
:19 If our hope in Christ is only for this life here on earth, than people should feel more sorry for us than for anyone else.
How can I be sure about the (or any) afterlife? I can’t, and it was bumming me out.
But in reading the whole chapter I found something to hold on to: the evidence of my own experience.
I know what has happened in my life. And therein lies my hope. That got me feeling better.
I know I’ve been created, so there must be a Creator. I know I’ve been saved (from what I was), so there must be a Savior. I know all my life there’s been guidance (that voice inside), so I know there is a guiding Spirit.
And the whole of it is a metamorphosis: conception to birth, child to adult, broken to redeemed. Seed to plant (verse 36). Caterpillar to butterfly.
:51 We will not all die, but we will all be changed… as quickly as an eye blinks.
“I’m going to find out the grand secret.” Lt Hancock in Breaker Morant
Creator,
I know I will die; I will cease to live in this form. But in nature, your creation, you display metamorphoses of all kinds. Therefore I can view death not as the end but as The Great Change, actually just one among many that you have brought me through.
:26 The last enemy to be destroyed will be death.
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