Bodies Bodies [5]
We find ourselves living in extraordinary times. Something we have no precedent for. This enormous figure, hanging above us in the sky, silent and still. People are afraid. People are confused. Many are searching for answers, and many more are questioning where God is in all of this.
I want to start today by acknowledging those fears and doubts. It’s natural to feel uncertain when the world shifts in ways we can’t comprehend. But I want to remind you all that we’ve been here before—not with this exact event, of course, but with the feeling of facing the unknown, of grappling with forces beyond our control.
In the face of uncertainty, it is easy to be consumed by fear. Some look to the skies now and see a looming threat, an omen of doom. Others feel abandoned, as though this strange phenomenon means that God has left us, has taken his leave of us. God is not absent. God is with us, even now, even in this.
Psalm 46 reminds us that God is "our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble." These words were written in a time when the people of Israel faced chaos and destruction, when it felt like the very ground beneath them might fall away. It was a time of victory, but a time of uncertainty. But the psalmist tells them—and tells us—not to fear, even if the mountains collapse and the seas rise up. And let’s be honest: seeing a figure hanging in the sky as large as a city—well, that can certainly make us feel like the mountains are falling.
But what does the psalm tell us to do? It doesn’t ask us to ignore our fear, but to bring it before God. It asks us to place our trust in God’s refuge, in God’s unwavering strength. This figure, whatever it is, does not change who God is. It doesn’t shake God’s foundation. It doesn’t alter the fact that God is still present, still active, still loving us as we try to make sense of this new reality.
I know some of you are asking, "What is this thing? Why is it here?" And the truth is, I don’t know. I don’t know. None of us know. I’m not a physicist or any other type of scientist that could have an idea of what this is or what it means. The scientists are puzzled. And in times like this, where our knowledge falls short, it’s tempting to either fall into speculation or retreat into fear. I’ve heard the rumors, the theories—everything from aliens to divine messengers to apocalyptic signs.
But we must be careful. We are called to live by faith
David caught himself for a moment.
Not by fear or speculation. When we let fear drive us, we lose sight of the One who holds all things together. We risk losing sight of the God who has walked with humanity through every unknown, through every storm, through every upheaval in history.
Faith is not the absence of questions; it’s not the absence of doubt. Faith is trusting in God even when the answers don’t come easily, even when we face mysteries that defy explanation. Faith is believing that, even when something incomprehensible hangs above us, God’s love remains steadfast.
I don’t know.
I don’t know.
I just.
David stopped. He looked out at the congregation. There was Mrs. Peters, waiting for the next words. The pews had thinned more than normal. He caught his voice and continued.
We must hold fast to our hope. Romans 5:5 tells us that "hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit." Hope is not wishful thinking; it’s the assurance that God is at work, even when we can’t see the full picture. It’s the belief that, whatever this figure may mean, God’s purposes for humanity are good and loving.
Second, we must respond with love. That is what Christ taught us, again and again. This is a time of chaos. I don’t know what comes next. I don’t know what this means. We need to…
What? He was hardly the one to be providing people with guidance.
There is a shadow of something that we do not understand. I don’t have the answers. Maybe God does. I hope that we can come together during this time and just be there for each other.
Amen.