Reclaiming Our Spiritual Senses

For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that peopple are without excuse. (Romans 1:20 NIV)

There was an article in yesterday's Science section of the Huffington Post about a scientist who claims that science is on the verge of disproving the existence of God.  You can read the entire article here:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/18/science-god-biology-astronomy-physics-deity_n_1894010.html

The article opens by saying:

Over the past few centuries, science can be said to have gradually chipped away at the traditional grounds for believing in God.  Much of what once seemed mysterious - the existence of humanity, the life-bearing perfection of Earth, the workings of the universe - can now be explained by biology, astronomy, physics and other domains of science. 

Although cosmic mysteries remain, Sean Carroll, a theoretical cosmologist at the California Institute of Technology, says there's good reason to think science will ultimately arrive at a complete understanding of the universe that leaves no grounds for God whatsoever.

Science has indeed come a long way in answering the question of "how," but they haven't come close to proving or disproving the "who" or the "why."  Along with all the advancements in science and technology, people seem to be losing an important ability... the use of their spiritual senses.

We have begun to rely almost fully on only our physical senses.  If we can't touch it, taste it, see it, hear it or smell it, does that mean it doesn't exist?  But there is another way to see, feel, hear, taste and smell!  It is with our spiritual senses.  But most of us have left them to lay dormant for so long that we have forgotten how to use them... or that we even have them.

We need to reclaim those senses.  It can be done simply by starting to use them again.  But we will need to make some hard decisions in our lives.  We have to stop the endless busyness.  Having every second of our days filled with duties and obligations pulls us further and further rom the spiritual realm... even if our busy activities are all God-related.

We also need to take time each day to unplug.  No smartphones, pads, computers or even tv's.  Read something profound.  Listen to a great symphony.  Ponder great works of art found in a book about the works of the masters. Rest in the quietness and beauty of creation.  Pray without distracions for five minutes every day.

If you do these things, you will know that there is more to life than the physical.  science is good and there is nothing wrong with gaining a greater understanding of our physical world, but we must not neglect the spiritual side of existence either.  If we do, we will be swallowed up by the shallowness of the purely physical.

Father,
Help us learn - or relearn - how to see you.  Amen.

Joys:  a good dinner at home with Kevin, Chelsea, and sweet Emma; just hanging out with Richard; the sweetness of holding a sleeping infant in my arms.