Our Messy EntranceIt is with mystery and a good deal of horror that I think about how it is that we entered this world. From where did we come? No, I'm not speaking of the physical aspect, because we all know that these flesh and bones are going to one day return to dust. No, the question is: from where did we come? When I say we, I'm talking about the word ψυχή (pyschí), which means "self" or "soul". I'm not speaking of what we think about in bodily terms, or what is called σῶμα (sólma), which is the flesh, or the body. I think it is most probable to say we came from nothing. We had no consciousness nor physical manifestation before entering this world, and we shall have none when we leave until the last day when I believe Christ will return and physically resurrect His church. But, is it not impossible to comprehend nothing? It's hard enough to even comprehend everything, even though we live within the realm of many somethings, but not everything, at least it gives us a glimpse though; yet we still don't understand. But what about nothing? This great word of which we know has a very real foundation, yet we don't know it. We've never consciously experienced it, for, no person could reasonably ask of another "what was it you felt or saw when you were nothing?" The mind was not working. The spirit was not alive, at least, I don't think we have a reason to believe it was. It was not until we grew into a tiny little human being and were born that we truly felt and saw and thought. So, as far as our core selves go, as far as our pyschí is concerned, it is a mystery where we came from. We came from nothing. Our Undesirable ExitTo make this life even crazier, our exit is not even a little bit more transparent to us than our entrance. The only difference is that we are aware of it's approach, though it's not like we can actually prepare for it. We all know we're going to die, yet few actually believe it. Once again, we can't comprehend what blatant nothingness it is going to bring upon us for a time. We fear it, because it is unknown. I would dare say that if unborn spirits were to realize that their birth was approaching, they'd be scared as well. Not only are they being taken from nothing to many somethings, but then they will eventually be, once again, ushered unwillingly back into nothingness for a time, or for an eternity, depending on what they might be convinced to believe in this life (not that what they believe changes what will happen, I'm simply stating what they might perceive). This is the strange world we live in. We don't know when we will enter and we don't know when we will leave. It's all completely out of our control, which personally leads me to believe that there is someone greater than us that is in control. In conclusion, we came from nothing, and it seems as if that is what we will return to in a very short amount of time. Death is something feared by even the bravest of us, but I think it's what makes this life beautiful. I think it's the only reason why life in this world has a hopeful undertone. Because of death, we have a hope of one day waking up to a world where we belong, where every wrong is made right, and all is well. Without it, we're simply miserable beings living in a world filled with pain with no small shortage of answers to our desperate questions. Don't lose hope. You and I are here for a reason, despite the fact that we're in a world where things aren't as they ought to be, but the reason we know what ought to be is because there is a place where things truly are as they ought to be; you cannot create an "ought" from an "is". Because of this, we have a hope and a reason to believe that there is a world where we truly belong, and it is closer than you or I could ever imagine. “If we ask: ‘Why ought I to be unselfish?’ and you reply ‘Because it is good for society,’ we may then ask, ‘Why should I care what’s good for society except when it happens to pay me personally?’ and then you will have to say, ‘Because you ought to be unselfish’—which simply brings us back to where we started.” - C.S. Lewis
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Zach MorrisMain singer and songwriter of The Harbor. ArchivesCategories |