Book Review: Finding God in the Waves, by Mike McHargue

Not your typical conversion testimony. “Science Mike” places modern science and empirical evidence as the epistemological authority for understanding God and interpreting His word. His experience seems genuine - he went astray and God searched for him as a lost sheep and brought him back to the fold. His refound faith seems a work in progress (aren’t we all?). The second half of the book, the writer’s explanation of the axioms of his faith, are certainly unique to him. One unusual feature - he links religious and spiritual experiences to activity in specific locations in the brain.

The greatest value in reading this book is the insight the author gives into the thoughts and feelings of searchers, questioners, doubters, and unbelievers. How does a person who is unsure of what he or she believes react to the way church services are conducted and members treat them? How do believers treat those who would like to believe but openly express the doubts they are struggling with? How do those trapped in sinful lifestyles react to what us said and done in church? The core question: is our response to those who don’t line up with our understanding of Christian belief and practice more like Jesus or the Pharisees? The author details his experience with the latter.

God’s transcendence. In many areas, this book articulates the author’s trust in God’s overarching, omnipotent love. Yet there is one central tenet of Christianity that he does not “grok”. Atonement. He asks why God determined to send Jesus to die on the cross for the sins of humankind. How could Jesus’ blood pay the price for our sins? Why was it necessary? Oddly, he foreshadows awareness of the resolution of his own issue early when discussing his disappointment with God in not answering his prayers to prevent his parents’ divorce: “Instead, He bowed His head and died.” (Chapter 6) The fundamental tension that God has in dealing with fallen humans is His own perfect love and perfect holiness. Perfect love impels Him not to leave us to reap the fruit of our sin; perfect holiness cannot allow us as sinners into His presence without our destruction. The Atonement is God’s response to this dilemma. In God’s transcendent eternity, He simultaneously resolved both the legal and experiential problem of sin, and empowered His people to defeat sin and enter His kingdom.

Labor Day in Heaven

Labor Day, with its U.S. origin in the 1882-1892 time frame, recognizes union members who fought for livable wages over a hundred years ago. It rejects the Malthusian theory and celebrates that humankind is not condemned to live at the subsistence level. Work enables us to receive income to live, to support our family and others. Work provides tangible benefits to society: food, shelter, enlightenment, entertainment, etc. Work enhances our self-image, built by accomplishment.

The Bible recognizes that we live in a physical world that was very good when God created it (Genesis 1:31), but that our priority should be Him and His kingdom. In Genesis 3:17-19, God put a curse on anything in this world that we work for in disobedience to Him.  Proverbs says in all labor there is profit (Proverbs 14:23), but Jesus said, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.” (Matthew 6:33)  Paul wrote, “ ...if anyone is not willing to work, neither let him eat,” (2 Thessalonians 3:10) but also “... the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace.” (Romans 8:6).

What will labor in heaven be like? What will we do? Will we participate in one continuous concert of worship, interrupted only by choir rehearsals? (Revelation 5:13) Will we tend the gardens of the new earth, as Adam was originally assigned in the garden of Eden (Genesis 2:15)? This is all idle speculation.

Jesus gave instructions which apply to all circumstances in John 6:27: “Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life.” In some inconceivable way, work that provides this food is faith in Christ. The context of this conversation is the miraculous feeding of a multitude, followed by Jesus walking on the water. Near the end of this passage, Jesus gave this explanation to His disciples: "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. “ (John 6:63)

The refrain from a poem by Charles Thomas Studd summarizes human understanding of what God thinks about labor.

Only one life, twill soon be past.

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

And when I am dying, how happy I’ll be,

If the lamp of my life has been burned out for Thee.