Thought for Today
Psalm 11:5 The Lord tests the righteous and the wicked, and his soul hates the lover of violence.
Micah 6:7 Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?"
Mark 12:30 you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.'
Luke 12:20 But God said to him, `Fool! This night your soul is required of you; and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?' (RSV)
I was introduced to the poem Invictus a few years ago. Actually, I think I memorized it in the 9th grade . . . so, more than 10 years ago! If you are not familiar with it, or if you have forgotten it, the first verse ends with “I thank whatever gods may be/For my unconquerable soul.” I woke up this morning with that line echoing in my mind.
My theological dictionary tells me, “Primarily, ‘soul’ is the life principle (Gen. 2:7). For Hebrews it indicated the unity of the person as a living body. The New Testament term also refers to one’s life (Matt. 2:20) or existence after death (Luke 21:19).”
An internet search revealed “In 1907, Dr. Duncan MacDougall, a physician from Massachusetts, conducted an experiment to measure the weight of the soul. He selected six terminally ill patients and weighed them at the moment of death. One of the patients reportedly lost three-quarters of an ounce (approximately 21.3 grams) in weight right at the time of death. MacDougall’s hypothesis was that the soul had physical weight. However, his experiment faced criticism due to its small sample size and methodological limitations. Despite its rejection within the scientific community, MacDougall’s experiment popularized the concept that the soul weighs 21 grams.”
I admit to some skepticism about the 21 gram measurement. I know that all devices for determining weight are notoriously inaccurate. My own bathroom scale consistently measures 10 pounds heavier than my true weight. How much does one’s soul weigh? To Micah’s point, does the “sin of my soul” increase its weight? Does my soul even sin? To the psalmist’s point, does God have a soul in the same sense as we do? Is that part of the meaning for “Genesis 1:26 Then God said, "Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness?” Does ‘likeness’ imply both physical body and soul?
The same theological dictionary also reveals to me that there are various opinions about the soul, its nature, its origin and its permanence in eternity. That dictionary offers terms including ‘transmigration of the soul,’ ‘soul-body dualism,’ and ‘soul extinction.’
By now, my mind is spinning! Is my soul unconquerable? Is my soul overweight? Is my soul eternal or is it inextricably linked to my corporeal body? How does my soul compare or relate to God’s soul? And, how much does anyone’s soul weigh?
Then, my mind recalls one of my favorite hymns, Turn Your Eyes upon Jesus. I recall those words, “O soul are you weary and troubled? No light in the darkness you see? There’s light for a look at the Savior, And life more abundant and free! Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face, And the things of earth will grow strangely dim In the light of His glory and grace.”
I don’t need to worry about “thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil.” I’m not that foolish rich man frantically building larger and larger barns. Whether this night or some much later time, when my God requires my soul, God will not call me “Fool.”
We are in Lent. This season we are reminded of the full truth and the ultimate degree to which “God so love the earth.” This liturgical season ends with the Empty Tomb of Easter morning! God’s affirmation of God’s love. Irrespective of how much my soul weighs, as long as I love the Lord my God with all my heart, and with all my soul, and with all my mind, and with all my strength, as long as I love my neighbor, as long as I turn my eyes upon Jesus, I will experience that life more abundant and free.
Stay safe, turn your eyes upon Jesus, trust God,
Pastor Ray