You would have thought we'd know everything by now. I'm not saying that in arrogance. I'm just remarking on how people constantly find an interest and want to know more about it. You'd think we'd have found out all there is to know about grasses, mammals, fish, protons, nebulae, and sand.
But nope! Here comes a new species, found at the bottom of the ocean or in some distant desert. There's a new galaxy, and wait - could it have three planets? Might we live there some day? No, it's too far. Maybe if we develop a new kind of time-warp spaceship... and off goes the thinker to tinker with ideas.
Scholarly conferences aren't like other places I've gone. Serious looking people (often in suits) read their papers on some bit of science, theology, scripture, or other studies. Listeners respond with questions or a designated respondent reads a studious response: "I agree because," or "That can't be right, because," or "Did the good Doctor So-and-so think of...?"
It must give God great pleasure to watch us puzzle our way through his creation. So many things to explore. So many ideas to ponder. And so much socializing in the process, people coming together with serious intent, eating and arguing, questioning and considering.
We'll be at such a conference this week, and I'm looking forward to the new faces and new ideas. Both W and I present papers. We read our papers to each other this week, stifling yawns once in a while as we listened. It's not that we aren't absorbed by the other's work, but how different our interests! He's into theology, a simple but profound insight on Pentecost that no one else has published. I'm interested in stories and spiritual networks, bringing observations on early twentieth century Pentecostal missionary wives.
Hopefully God will be pleased with our work. We enjoyed getting to know more about him and his work among us in the process.
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*Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!
Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor? Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?
For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen. Romans 11:33-36 NIV
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