Week 21—Wednesday Matthew 6:22-23
Matthew 6:22-23
SCIENCE TEACHES SURRENDER TO THE WILL OF GOD
We are considering the opening sentence of the Sermon on the Mount: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven,” or “Blessed are those poor enough to be receptive in spirit.”
Is this an outmoded attitude belonging to the ages of self-repudiation, a denial of the will to live? No, this is as up-to-date as tomorrow. Huxley once wrote to Kingsley: “Science seems to me to teach in the most unmistakable way the Christian conception of entire surrender to the will of God. Science says: ‘Sit down before the facts as a little child, be willing to give up every preconceived notion, be willing to follow to whatever end nature will lead you or you will know nothing.’” Every great scientist must be a humble, receptive person or he [or she] couldn’t be a great scientist. The proud, self-sufficient, unreceptive are automatically excluded from the kingdom of science.
And here Jesus laid down the first law of the Kingdom, a law that is the first law of science—be surrendered, be receptive, or you will get nowhere. But on the other hand, if you are surrendered and receptive you will get everywhere; everything is open to you—the Kingdom of heaven is yours, it belongs to you. Note it doesn’t say that you belong to the Kingdom of heaven; you do, of course, but it says the breathtaking opposite—the Kingdom and all its resource and power belong to you. It is all at your disposal. This opens up moral and spiritual wealth beyond our dreams. The kingdom of God is the ultimate Order, the Ultimate Authority, the Ultimate Good. All this is open to those humble enough, surrendered enough, to receive it. That leaves you centered on another, on Jesus, on the kingdom of God—and when you seek first the Kingdom, all these things, including yourself, are added to you.
O Blessed Redeemer, we are in awe at your truth. It sends us to our knees. But it also makes us stretch our hands to take, to take your Everything. Having seen, we seek. And in the seeking find, for we find you seeking. Amen.
AFFIRMATION FOR THE DAY: I am scientific, as well as Christian, if I follow Jesus in his emphasis on receptivity.