Calculated Randomness: Part 1

One morning while enjoying breakfast with my family, my dad made a statement that begged to be digested.

"I think the word 'random' is very demonic in nature."

This comment made all of us stop and ponder. "Random" seems to be everywhere today. From its presence in social media to laughingly mark incongruent humor or silliness, to its implications within philosophical and scientific ideas about man's origin and purpose. This word is deeply embedded into our culture's subconscious. Yet, doesn't "random" deny the hand of an involved God who desperately desires the purification of his children in a fallen world? Even the introduction of this idea is not "chance". It is an intentional deception, calculated by the Enemy to subtly distort mankind's perceptions of God and His world. In reality, nothing is mere happenstance. Anything that states otherwise boldfacedly declares that God is not all-powerful, nor does he love, much less care. This concept is built upon the world view that man is without purpose, and every person must flounder in the turbulent, suffocating sea of existence. A dog-eat-dog world where everything depends upon our own strength and wherewithall. 1 Corinthians 14:33, however, gives us a different message.
For God is not a God of disorder but of peace--as in all the congregations of the Lord's people.

The Lord deeply cares for those He has created. His desire is not for us to flounder, but to flourish. He is the perfect Father who watches out for His little children and guards their steps, seeing far beyond our own shortsightedness. We are messy and we make no shortage of mistakes, but God longs to bring us closer to His own perfect nature. He is orchestrating everything to the crescendo of restored glory. But not everyone will partake in this restoration. Many will ignore the invitation, and they will have to then live with the chaos they have selected. The question is raised, would the God of Christianity allow for all of the hurt, hate, and hardship that is so prominent in our world? If such a Being was real, surely He must not know what He is doing.

I beg to differ. An impressionistic painting looks like meaningless chaos when observed narrowly. It is only from a more expansive perspective that the sporadic becomes, not only coherent, but breathtaking. God's perspective is far above our own. Only He can see the grand scheme of history. It is HIS STORY afterall. Though His influence and power goes beyond anything our finite minds can comprehend, He desires participants, not puppets. He is not too grand to take an interest in the minute particulars of our lives. The later part of Matthew 6 points this out. Nothing is too small for God's attention or too far removed for His omnipotence. Once again though, He is not a dictator, but a Gentleman. He wants us to choose Him, and He won't force us to do anything against our will. When we recognize and accept His wooing, we embark upon the Ultimate Romance.

Nature testifies to God's unrelenting attention to detail. The delicate interworkings of our universe are mindbogglingly complex, with patterns that display a Divine fingerprint from the microscopic to the celestial. (I hope to discuss this more in a future post). How much more is God involved with mankind, for the sake of whom He sacrificed His only Son? Our Creator, the ultimate architect, is not flustered by "undesirable" history or circumstance. He is not limited by brokenness. It is through brokenness that His power is showcased most fully. He longs to invest in our lives, intending for us to be transformed into the pure, fully developed beings that will be able to commune with Him forever in eternity as He intended. But this perfect plan can only be brought forth when Perfection is given control of our destination. As we sacrifice our tainted, selfish, chaotic nature, The Spirit enables us to move in harmony with God's will. Psalm 37:23 assures us that those who follow righteousness will be directed by the Lord. They will not be left to 'figure things out' or 'make it happen' on their own. We are invited to embark on an eternal Journey with the provider of purpose and the satisfaction of all our longings. The choice is ours.

September

The world stands attentively on the threshold of autumn. Though this future may seem ever beyond arms reach in regions where the sun's heat unrelentingly holds, the rhythmic momentum of its rising and setting assures of the promised change. It is a transformation that is not foreign to mankind, yet it is one that greets each perennial generation with new wonder and awe. Fall is a mixture of blissful surprise and eager expectation. Though now I sit by with longing for the season, one day soon, I will awake in ravished awe to the unbridled display of vibrance all around me. The metamorphosis is steady and unseen, but all the while actively intentional under the hand of the Divine. September is the month when this cocoon begins to blossom.

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I see Summer as she rises from the dew-covered grass of the morning where her voice mingled with the bubbling laughter of her companions. With nymphish nievity, she follows curiosity's urge to frolic through the vast expanse of the unexplored glens. She looks and listens, scampers and falls, all the while collecting gems of experience that masquerade themselves as the wayward twigs and flowers that playfully adorn her tresses. Walking in the pathway set by the setting Sun before her, Summer's steps are no longer playful, but purposed. Her stride has elongated with her limbs, and her eyes are piqued and inquisitive. The wind rustles through the still-green leaves and stirs her soul. She turns. Autumn stands before her, and extends his strong and tender hand. A flush of color slowly spreads through the forest boughs overhead. She smiles and accepts, and the two walk together to the tune of birdsong as their conversation mingles with the gentle mumblings of the river. With the setting sun, arbors shed their leaves to cover the earthen floor with a blanket that will nurture the birth of new sprouts of green life in the spring.