Thought for Today
Exodus 22:18 You shall not permit a female sorcerer to live.
Leviticus 20:27 A man or a woman who is a medium or a wizard shall be put to death; they shall be stoned to death, their blood is upon them.
Acts 8:9 Now a certain man named Simon had previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, saying that he was someone great.
Acts 19:19 A number of those who practiced magic collected their books and burned them publicly; when the value of these books was calculated, it was found to come to fifty thousand silver coins.
Do you believe in magic? I’m not thinking about prestidigitation or slight-of-hand. I mean real, true magic. Did you read the Harry Potter books as fiction, fantasy or reality (or, the Dresden Files if you prefer an adult series)? Can anyone manipulate the universe, contravene the laws and theorems of physics through incantations, potions and/or formulae? Is magic real?
My first thought this morning, as Greta and I listened to the weather forecast for this weekend was about magic. The meteorologist we listen to uttered the 3 most terrifying words in the English language that one might hear in late May, ‘a few snowflakes.’ Even in New England one does not expect to hear low temperature forecast this time of year in the 30’s with windchill factors below freezing!
In case you’re wondering, I have not lost my mind (entirely). While I enjoyed the Harry Potter books and still read the Dresden Files books, I do not believe in magic. It is fun to watch talented magicians perform feats of prestidigitation. But, the laws of physics cannot be contravened. Until we can mine dilythium crystals and Scotty can build a warp engine drive (Star Trek), we cannot travel faster than the speed of light.
I can no longer do the math, I probably cannot even recognize many of the symbols in the equations of the mathematical algorithms used by meteorologists to forecast weather today. I do remember enough about heat transfer and system analysis to comprehend the complexity of the models created by those algorithms. I have read many articles about global warming and seen some of the ocean temperature measurement data. Although it seems incredibly contra intuitive, I can accept that the seemingly ‘freaky’ weather we see so often is exacerbated, maybe even caused by global warming.
As I think about the impossibility of ‘a few snowflakes’ anywhere outside the Arctic Circle in late May, I do remember my own life-lessons about weather. Lessons learned from having survived several hurricanes. I have seen the damage caused by extreme winds and even had to repair roof damage from a tornado.
I have read the Bible and remember several verses about winds and weather. “Genesis 1:1 In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth 2 the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters.” I remember enough of the Greek I learned in seminary to know that the word πνεῦμα (pneuma) can mean wind, breath, spirit or even ghost.
I have read the story of Elijah’s contest with the priests of Baal. I remember the results and the aftermath and the words of the LORD, “1 Kings 19:11 He said, "Go out and stand on the mountain before the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by." Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake; 12 and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence.”
The problem with magic, witches and wizards is not that they somehow have real power to contravene the laws of the universe. The problem with all of that is that belief in any of it ignores the presence and power of God. I may not understand hurricanes, tornados, or even ‘a few snowflakes’ in May. I do believe in God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit. I do remember the words of Joshua, “Joshua 24:15 as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."
Stay safe, stay warm, trust God,
Pastor Ray