Discover Divine Mystery
David Nii, Apostle Designate
The woman said to him, “Sir, you have no bucket, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? Are you greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us the well, and with his sons and his flocks drank from it?” Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life.” -John 4:11-14
Life circumstances can be surprising and unexpected. I often find myself thinking, “This should never have happened!” or “Why didn’t it work this time? It worked before!” In efforts to make sense out of life I try to convince myself people and situations eventually follow a rational and logical process of thought and action. Reality, however, usually is much more disruptive, as reflected in a quote attributed to Mark Twain, “Why shouldn’t truth be stranger than fiction? Fiction, after all, has to make sense.”
One intriguing concept from quantum mechanics is all of reality moves forward based on the probability of outcomes. There is no absolute cause and effect, just a higher probability of one outcome over another outcome. This principle applies to inanimate objects as well as subjective relationships. This concept helps me envision what some spiritual sojourners call divine mystery. Although it is important to learn and understand how life works and what is most likely to happen because of our actions, the uncertainty principle reminds us we can never fully know why one outcome happens versus another because, in essence, certainty is an illusion.
I am growing to receive the ever-present reality of uncertainty as a journey of surrender to the movement and wonder of God. Certainty is highly overrated. Insistence on controlling outcomes often leads to an unhealthy need to have power over others and our surroundings. This need to control fuels power grabs often resulting in fear, alienation, hate, and violence-I cannot imagine these life attributes as desires of God for us. Instead, surrender leads to humility, compassion, generosity, and openness.
A life of searching without needing to come fully to a point of certainty is the foundation of faith. Surrendering ourselves to mystery and uncertainty leads to pondering important questions without needing to anchor ourselves to never-changing answers. This type of discovery leads us to dwell in divine presence, leads us to life with God.
Prayer Phrase
Discover divine mystery.
Spiritual Practice
This week, members and friends of Community of Christ are gathering from across the globe to engage in discernment, worship, and holy decision-making for World Conference. You are invited to spend time each day holding this community and experience in prayer. May we be open to the Spirit of God who speaks through our unity in diversity, dreams shalom within us, and always meets us where we are while inviting us into a future of hope. “Grant to us insight, O God, for this time of decision. May we dream challenging dreams of both depth and precision. Speak through the dark. Dispel by lightning’s bright spark whatever clouds dim our vision.”
-Jane Parker Huber, “O God of Vision,” \xc2\xa9 1981 Jane Parker Huber,
Community of Christ Sings 78
Today’s Prayer for Peace
Engage in a daily practice of praying for peace in our world. Click here to read today’s prayer and be part of this practice of peace.
