Every Molecule

You are the Lord, you alone; you have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. Nehemiah 9:6

Paul wrote: From him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever.  Romans 11:36

God is love. 1 John 4:8

REFLECTION:
I had a fascinating conversation yesterday with a man who had a near-death experience years ago.

Before I tell you what he shared with me, though, I want to acknowledge the inherent skepticism many of us have toward stories like this. We live in a time after the scientific revolution, which means we often want tangible proof; we want things to fit neatly into the boxes that make sense to us. And you might not expect a pastor to say this, but I am right there with you. I am a logical, rational thinker. I read science books for fun.

The problem is, the deeper I have dived into both science and faith, the more I have found that cannot be explained. The frontiers of astrophysics and string theory are revealing that the world really doesn't fit in rational boxes. Likewise, my experiences as a pastor have placed me in countless situations where my rational mind can't explain what I have witnessed or experienced. So I listen to stories like this man's with a more open mind now than I used to; because I just know there is a lot I cannot explain.

Back to the man's story.

He explained to me that, after he died, he felt a light and a love permeate him that he cannot explain. The light had no source, he said; it was all around him. He found himself kneeling, unable to look up. "It felt like pure love permeated every part of me," he said. "I felt as though every single molecule was loved intensely...with a love and a peace a million times more than anything I had experienced here." Then, a deep yet peaceful voice informed him it wasn't time for him just yet, and he fell backward back into this existence.

What struck me was his description of feeling loved down to every molecule. Intensely. Peacefully.

Read the scriptures above again. If God started this whole thing; if every single part of us is FROM God, THROUGH God, pointed TO God...if God is indeed love, then this man's story makes sense.

Today, as we celebrate Valentine's Day and the gifts of human love, take time to give thanks for those you love (lover, family member, or friend)...but let's also take a moment to hold the thought that our love for each other is only a faint reflection. Every part of you is loved. Every molecule. Intensely. Peacefully. You. Are. Loved.

PRAYER:
Lord, what a mystery you have created. We praise you for birds that fly and sing, even in the dark of winter. We praise you for flowers that bloom after a long rest. And we praise you for the wonder we feel when in your presence. Amen.*

*Prayer taken from the Moravian Daily Texts