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 It Makes Sense

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Smell, sound, sight, taste, touch.  Through our senses we understand ourselves and the world we live in.  Our senses warn us of dangers and lead us to pleasures. Through them we experience fear, comfort, pain and joy.  Our God given senses enable us to experience life, and God Himself.  

 

I wonder what it was like for Adam and Eve before the fall of man.  I wonder what the flowers smelled like, and what kind of melodies nature played in the garden of Eden.  I wonder how beautiful a garden which had never known a weed or a drought, must have looked. I wonder what the fruit that was not forbidden tasted like, and how the air felt on their skin, never too hot or too cold.  I wonder what it was like to experience God’s creation through their senses, when everything was just right.  

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Sometimes we get a glimpse.  The smell of a fresh rose. The majesty of an orchestra.  The beauty of a sunset over an ocean. The taste of a delicacy which lands just right on the palate.  The touch of a newborn who rests in our arms. In these moments, we know what it is to live, and we are grateful.  

 

More often we experience life through our senses with a keen awareness that we live after the fall.  The smell of decay reminds us of the frailty of life. The sound of mighty thunder threatens our safety and causes us to take cover.  More often than not, the news is headlined with pictures and live coverage of devastation. Even when 99% of our fearfully and wonderfully made bodies function seamlessly, the 1% of our cells fighting a tooth infection can be so painfully distracting we are forced to stop everything to address the issue.

 

In an effort to lessen our sadness and discomfort, we dull our senses.  When light is too bright we shut our eyes; when the noise is too loud we cover our ears.  Needed protection. But sometimes when life is painful and we turn our senses off, we forget to turn them on again.  It is easier, or so it seems, to keep our eyes shut than to adjust our view. It is easier to not hear, not see, and not feel, what hurts.  But when we stop smelling, hearing, seeing, tasting, touching...we stop living.

 

To experience life fully, we must re-engage our senses.  Maybe it means a tall glass of ice water, or a steaming cup of tea, sipped slowly.  Maybe it means letting the music carry you away. Maybe it is the simple but not overstated practice of breathing.  And while I do not know the right answer for you for this moment, this I do know. When we disengage from life and simultaneously from God, the only way back is reengaging.  Let us not be afraid to feel pain, that in time we might feel His comfort. Let us thank Him for one thing. One thing we can see, touch, taste, feel, or smell...that is good, that reminds us of His goodness.  One thing, then one more thing. Engaging, rather than disengaging. Living, not simply existing.    

Even with a focus on the good, in a fallen world, it will not be pleasant all the time.  It is impossible to avoid the reality of life’s difficulties all together. There is pain in life, but there is also joy.  Most of all there is God, able to make sense of all we perceive as senseless. The only way to feel, to love, is to open yourself up to the possibility of pain.  God sees, He hears, He feels, He knows everything, and He cares. Rather than disengage when life is less than pleasant, invite Him into the hard places. Engage the senses, in a sense that draws you to Him.  Breathe in freshness and know that His mercies are ever new. Listen to life giving words. Savor food, daily provided. Let your God given senses allow you to experience life more fully. Allow them to let you experience Him more fully.  And when you find it hard to feel His comfort, to see His plan, to taste His goodness, lean in. Engage, rather than disengage. Let senses make sense.         

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" But- as it is written, 'What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him-' ”  I Corinthians 2:9 (ESV)

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