By Rev. Dan Williama
The Greek philosopher Socrates (q70-399 BC) said, “The more I know, the more I know nothing.” Aristotle (38q-322 BC) said, “The more you know, the more you don’t know.” I think we understand what those guys meant, but Albert Einstein (1879-1955) said it best, “The more I learn, the more I realize how much I don’t know.“
I don’t consider myself to be a philosopher, but I do ponder a lot. A philosopher attempts to answer deep questions about life from an intellectual perspective. A ponderer thinks about life, but usually just ends up with more questions than answers. For example, a philosopher may tackle the question, “How did the universe come into existence ?” A ponderer may see a beautiful sunrise and wonder, “If I came out here every morning would I lose my sense of awe seeing this?” Since I do my best pondering when I am alone, I usually ask my questions to God. Before you know it, my pondering has turned into praying.
Mary, the mother of Jesus, is history’s most well-known ponderer. After she gave birth to the Promised One, she was visited by some shepherds with a big story about an angel announcing the birth followed by a choir of angels praising God. After all that, Luke 2:19 records, “Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.” ( Emphasis mine.) She couldn’t explain what happened , but she experienced something miraculous and contemplated that deep in her soul.
When you behold what no man can explain how it got there, you are poised for some serious pondering. Pictured above is my favorite place to ponder: Cherry Grove, SC. Looking out over the ocean at sunrise, smelling the salt air, hearing the pounding waves and imagining all the sea life hidden beneath the surface, one can only be in awe of creation. A verse in Psalm 8 says, “When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him?”
Sometimes it is good to be reminded just how small e really are. Yet the God who created it all wants
us to connect with Him. Now, that is something to
