Paradox Point

The Bottom of Everything

About a month or so ago, I started doing this “bible reading plan.”  I heard about it from a pastor in Seattle (@raincitypastor.)  I really like his writing and respect his wisdom, so I decided to give a try.

It’s actually a pretty cool deal.  Every day, this website sends you links to the chapters you are supposed to read for the day.  They even let you pick the translation you want – I’ve been reading The Message lately.

There’ve been some days where I get behind and have to do make-up reading.  But for the most part I’ve been keeping up, and really enjoying it.  Reading the Bible isn’t always something that I want to do, but lately my heart’s been in it, and I’m thankful for that.

I recently finished Ecclesiastes.  I forgot how wild that book is.  Solomon is forthright and forward.  He’s frustrated and fed up.  But he also is learning to find balance.  Two of my favorite parts are from chapter 7 - verses 14 and 18.

“On a good day, enjoy yourself; on a bad day, examine your conscience. God arranges for both kinds of days, so that we won't take anything for granted.”

And – “It’s best to stay in touch with both sides of an issue. A person who fears God deals responsibly with all of reality, not just a piece of it.”

He says it’s best.  Not, it’s easiest, or most convenient, or most popular, but best.

But then, next chapter over, verses 16 and 17, he admits how tough it is to deal responsibly with all of reality.

“When I determined to load up on wisdom and examine everything taking place on earth, I realized that if you keep your eyes open day and night without even blinking, you'll still never figure out the meaning of what God is doing on this earth. Search as hard as you like, you're not going to make sense of it. No matter how smart you are, you won't get to the bottom of it.”

When I was in highschool, I used to sit in class and write things like, “Everything is everything and nothing is nothing and I love/hate all of it.”  I used to try and come up with these all-encompassing statements to try and get to the bottom of things.  Instead of approaching paradoxes with open arms, I put up my fists and said, “Let’s go.”

There’s a reason I call this site Paradox Point, and that’s because I think we all get to a place where we make a decision to either embrace mystery, paradox, and tension, or to reject those things, and spend our entire lives wrestling with them.

Solomon said that we won’t get to the bottom of it.  Now that I’ve stepped out and made a lot of mistakes, I think He was on to something.  So I’m doing my best to see both sides of an issue, stay even-tempered, fear God, and take on all of reality, every day.

I'll leave you with the first track off "I'm Wide Awake It's Morning."

At The Bottom Of Everything