Time and Space
The faster you travel through space, the slower you travel through time.
This is one of the weird truths about gravitational physics--there are actually measurable warps and ripples in space and time. It's called time dilation, and it changes the way we perceive the world around us.
Our perception of time has certainly changed in the past two weeks. For those of you isolating at home, time has likely been crawling, and the space between your walls may seem to be shrinking. For those who are seriously ill from this coronavirus, time has raced as their symptoms worsen at breakneck speed. Many of us have become somewhat detached from time. Without the familiar rhythm and schedule of our days, we lose track of exactly what day it is. Tuned into Netflix or TV or game consoles, hours can slip by unnoticed--and as the days drag on, that's actually preferable to feeling every minute and every hour of every day.
The faster you travel through space, the slower you travel through time. We have been hurtling through space in this new world in which we are living. It's no wonder that time feels warped! We can get through this time and space warp--but we're going to have to do it together. We can remind each other what day it is. We can help each other pass the time with phone conversations and text messages. In dealing with this bizarre situation, we have to place our feet firmly on the foundation of our most deeply held faith--that whatever happens, wherever we end up, God Is Already There.
We can't escape that truth, even if we were crazy enough to want to run from it. We are learning that almost everything in our world and in our lives can and will change. We are constantly in a state of change and transformation. There is only ONE unchanging thing, and it has many descriptive names: God, Spirit, Christ, Yahweh, the One. Human religions all seek to describe, understand, relate to this spiritual reality that lives with us and in us and all around us.
This God thing--this eternal, immutable truth--this is where we release our anxiety. This is where we offer up our time and space confusion. This is where we open ourselves to the absolute faith that moves us beyond all our bewildering discombobulation. Time and space, it is said, are human constructs. But eternity, constancy and hope belong to God.
Whatever day and time we think it is...let's place our trust in the one gift in our life that does not change...the spiritual foundation that we call our Awesome God.
Mark 1:14-15
Jesus came into Galilee announcing God’s good news, saying, “Now is the time! Here comes God’s kingdom! Change your hearts and lives, and trust this good news!”
Trust this good news: God Is With Us.
Prayer Requests: for Bobby Jo Ertel, undergoing rehab in Grand Junction; for Pat Downey, Father Doug Bleyle, Victoria, Pastor Jean and so many volunteers as they wrangle a way to keep feeding hungry people; for The Bridge Emergency Shelter residents and staff as they embark on a journey of sheltering in place together; for everyone who is feeling isolated and alone; for those who are battling this pandemic head-on all around the world; for those who are desperately ill and cannot have a loved one by their side; for all of us, so that as the world changes around us, we will always and forever choose Love.
Peace and all good,
Pastor Jean
This is one of the weird truths about gravitational physics--there are actually measurable warps and ripples in space and time. It's called time dilation, and it changes the way we perceive the world around us.
Our perception of time has certainly changed in the past two weeks. For those of you isolating at home, time has likely been crawling, and the space between your walls may seem to be shrinking. For those who are seriously ill from this coronavirus, time has raced as their symptoms worsen at breakneck speed. Many of us have become somewhat detached from time. Without the familiar rhythm and schedule of our days, we lose track of exactly what day it is. Tuned into Netflix or TV or game consoles, hours can slip by unnoticed--and as the days drag on, that's actually preferable to feeling every minute and every hour of every day.
The faster you travel through space, the slower you travel through time. We have been hurtling through space in this new world in which we are living. It's no wonder that time feels warped! We can get through this time and space warp--but we're going to have to do it together. We can remind each other what day it is. We can help each other pass the time with phone conversations and text messages. In dealing with this bizarre situation, we have to place our feet firmly on the foundation of our most deeply held faith--that whatever happens, wherever we end up, God Is Already There.
We can't escape that truth, even if we were crazy enough to want to run from it. We are learning that almost everything in our world and in our lives can and will change. We are constantly in a state of change and transformation. There is only ONE unchanging thing, and it has many descriptive names: God, Spirit, Christ, Yahweh, the One. Human religions all seek to describe, understand, relate to this spiritual reality that lives with us and in us and all around us.
This God thing--this eternal, immutable truth--this is where we release our anxiety. This is where we offer up our time and space confusion. This is where we open ourselves to the absolute faith that moves us beyond all our bewildering discombobulation. Time and space, it is said, are human constructs. But eternity, constancy and hope belong to God.
Whatever day and time we think it is...let's place our trust in the one gift in our life that does not change...the spiritual foundation that we call our Awesome God.
Mark 1:14-15
Jesus came into Galilee announcing God’s good news, saying, “Now is the time! Here comes God’s kingdom! Change your hearts and lives, and trust this good news!”
Trust this good news: God Is With Us.
Prayer Requests: for Bobby Jo Ertel, undergoing rehab in Grand Junction; for Pat Downey, Father Doug Bleyle, Victoria, Pastor Jean and so many volunteers as they wrangle a way to keep feeding hungry people; for The Bridge Emergency Shelter residents and staff as they embark on a journey of sheltering in place together; for everyone who is feeling isolated and alone; for those who are battling this pandemic head-on all around the world; for those who are desperately ill and cannot have a loved one by their side; for all of us, so that as the world changes around us, we will always and forever choose Love.
Peace and all good,
Pastor Jean
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