The opening text will come from a book by Abraham Joshua Heschel (God in Search of Man - A Philosophy of Judaism). As you are able to see by the title, the language may be a bit dated and therefore, I will, when able, make the language inclusive.
The roots of ultimate insights are found…not on the level of discursive thinking, but on the level of wonder and radical amazement, in the depth of awe, in our sensitivity to the mystery, in our awareness of the ineffable. It is the level on which the great things happen to the soul, where the unique insights of art, religion, and philosophy come into being.
This made me think of Saul riding on his horse as he is on his way trying to subdue the movement and growth of the followers of Jesus. Something…knocks him off his horse. Not only that. His whole view of life changes and he literally becomes another person – Paul. His thinking was all straight and in line with all the education he had received from the rabbis. But the event on the road was not in line with the straight thinking he was taught…and the only way we hear about it is to hear of a blinding light and a voice from “out of nowhere.” Those with him stood speechless during the this disruption on the road and when it was all over Paul was blinded and needed to be guided by the others. From this event on the road comes a person who gives the growing community of Jesus’ followers some great insights into the wealth of the Good News for new life. Sound wonder-filled and amazing to me.
Connection: Some people like to talk about thinking “outside the box”…or at least it was an expression used for a while. In many ways, it was still an orderly adventure. I think Heschel is pointing way out of the box…to a way of looking at all things…a way of pausing and simply taking in what is being offered to us by life itself – even when we are not suppose to be looking for anything at all. Don’t be afraid to wander…and wonder today.
Inspiring Spirit, let the flames of your new creation open up our eyes. Take us beyond the limits we set within our lives so we may venture into the wonderful beauty of your gracious reign as it is revealed to us throughout this day. Amen.
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