One of God’s greatest delights is to irritate and baffle the proud. 1 Corinthians 1:27 says that “God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise…for the foolishness of God is wiser than men.” He likes to appeal to non-sense to bring us to our senses. He does this so the person who is a “know it all” and think they are always “the smartest person in the room” will never come to know the truth. The doorway to truth forces everyone to stoop.

There is something extremely beautiful to God in our bewilderment.

The more I think about it, bewilderment is the surest sign that I have abandoned the security of my own brilliance and I am choosing to rest completely on the heart of God. Another word for that is faith. The truest sign I love someone is when I believe their word even if they sound completely crazy. I believe them because I know them.

“Hey Mary, you will give birth to a Son.” Now that is crazy – – especially when she was a virgin. But Mary said, “Let it be to me according to your word.”

In some ways, faith begins with reason and logic, even 1 Peter 3:15 says, “ But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” God does first appeal to us through thinking, logic and reason – – evidence is given for the purpose of bringing us closer. But reason can only go so far, it is like a well-worn path through a dense forest that ultimately leads to a steep cliff where I am then asked to jump. “I have to jump? But I can’t see the bottom?”

“Trust me!” God says with his knowing, playful, secret smile.

This world is always a mixture of reason and foolishness – – but it seems to me that all the life-altering things, the wonderful things, are responses to foolishness. I will name a few:

• How do you know when you fall in love? By finding that person that meets your checklist, or because you can’t live without them? Explain that?
• A sunset over the ocean. Explain that?
• The birth of a child and the death of a loved one. Explain that?

I was at another funeral this past weekend, I have been to too many of late, and trying to enter into the reality of a life beyond the grave is always bewildering…it makes no sense. Living forever? Really? But it sure makes more sense than telling someone death is nothing more than 6 feet of dirt. Decomposition is the logical answer. But that answer is not enough, the heart cries, “That CAN’T BE all we are living for? So love means nothing?” But it is a reasonable answer, and reason leaves us empty.

This past weekend I was preaching on God’s love toward us, and I am completely convinced, when you fully understand what the cross means, you won’t believe it. God’s grace is meant to baffle the mind. Have you ever been baffled by God? I want to start a new teaching in the church called a Theology of Bewilderment: It occurs when your deepest darkness of self and your knowledge of failure comes face to face with God’s love for you. You really were that bad, God’s love for you really is that good! It makes no sense, and when you understand the foolishness of it, it breaks you! God captures you, forever.

Charles Wesley explains bewilderment perfectly in the song And Can it Be:

Long my imprisoned spirit lay
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
Thine eye diffused a quick’ning ray,
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free;
I rose, went forth and followed Thee.

Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, should die for me!

Some of you have never been bewildered. Maybe that is why your faith is so dry, and you are so cranky and so tired. You have gotten used to salvation. It has become like an old shoe – – your redemption causes you to yawn. And maybe that is the curse of the second generation Christian, you have lost bewilderment.

You have never really wondered.

Christianity is more of a logical belief than a foolish jump. My suggestion; quit being so logical and jump. It is the only way to live!