I’m writing this after returning from a short business trip. Most of these thoughts came from my mind after as we descended from 30,000 feet into the Austin airport. I had just endured a 2 hour delay in the Chicago airport (stunning I know) after my previous flight had also been delayed. I began to wonder why the airline seats can wreak such havoc on my skeletal system and whether if I sat just the right way the seat could actually put my spine back into place. If it can move my bones one way, why not the other? The problem is a little thing called entropy and the second law of thermodynamics. Without specific corrective care (energy put back into the system) my spine will continue to get worse, not better, especially in the closed environment of an aircraft hull.
How does this relate to our scripture? Like I said, it’s late and so this may make no sense at all. But we don’t live in a closed system. God lives outside of the universe he created and can provide the anti-entropy medicine that we need so often. Job constantly reminds us of this as he is reminded of it himself. I was particularly struck by Job 10:10 “Did you not pour me out like milk and curdle me like cheese?” Now, Job is a book of poetry but I don’t think we’ll be incorporating this line into our praise songs anytime soon. I mean just finding words to rhyme with “curdle” and “cheese” would take a stroke of genius (or maybe just cheese). But it reminds us along with the rest of the passage that God is the one who created and is in control of it all. And this is even a more personal creation. It reminds me of the book (which I have not read but need to) “Who Moved My Cheese?” The book discusses how we deal with change. Rather than asking who is to blame (as Job’s friends are doing), ask what we can do in spite of the situation to survive and make the best of it. Job’s handling of the situation puts into perspective my complaints of airline delays and hard seats.
Another verse that is intriguing but I can’t fully comprehend in my current state is Job 12:11 “Does not the ear test words as the tongue tastes food?”
And speaking of entropy…
How about those Ephesian riots in Acts 19:23-41? A mob mentality is no stranger to us. We’ll riot if our team loses the championship. We’ll riot if our team wins the championship. Luckily it only took a little common sense injected into the situation to calm things down and disperse the crowd. “Does not the ear test words as the tongue tastes food?” Maybe, but I’ll have to think about that some more.
Thanks to the Southwest pilots who provided us safe travel and to the stewards on the flights who provided an entertaining take on the security policy. And thanks to our God who gave me safe travel and who reduces entropy by curdling my cheese.
Mmmmmmmmm cheese.