Tuesday, December 02, 2014
Incredible Discoveries
I can only imagine how people
must have chuckled or rolled their eyes when the 5'10" man wearing a
coonskin cap and sporting a heavy beard and mustache began describing his
adventures. With wide-eyed sincerity he
babbled on and on about bubbling mud, millions of bison, steaming water holes, streams
of water spewing high into the air and water falls twice the height of Niagara.
No doubt, many thought it was the alcohol talking or that he had been away from
civilization too long. It was 1808 and the
adventurer's name was John Colter. He
was a scout for the Lewis and Clark expedition and had just returned from a
exploring the area that is now Yellowstone National Park. His discoveries were
legit, but to his peers they were literally incredible.
The American Western History museum characterized Americans' skepti cism like this: "Upon his return, his "tales" were so unbelievable that no author or mapmaker would publish it for fear of scrutiny amongst their peers...It wasn't until Thomas Moran painted the Yellowstone Park and William Jackson photographed The Yellow stone Park in 1871 along with a team of surveyors that the country realized the national treasure which existed."
The American Western History museum characterized Americans' skepti cism like this: "Upon his return, his "tales" were so unbelievable that no author or mapmaker would publish it for fear of scrutiny amongst their peers...It wasn't until Thomas Moran painted the Yellowstone Park and William Jackson photographed The Yellow stone Park in 1871 along with a team of surveyors that the country realized the national treasure which existed."
Some stories and experiences are just so
incredible that one must experience them personally before believing they are real. But, as the saying goes, "don't knock it
'til you've tried it." I am
thinking specifically about great spiritual discoveries. Often when spiritual adventurers describe
experiences that include physical healing, emotional healings, conversations
with God, speaking in tongues, and being born again, others may be tempted to
chuckle or roll their eyes. But these incredible
experiences with God were described in the Bible and they have been verified
and repeated ad nauseam. They are incredible discoveries just waiting for you
to experience personally.
I can
relate to those who were hesitant to embrace Colter's tales, just as I can
relate to those who listen to my spiritual tales with caution. We live in an information-rich world that is
so inundated with strangeness that a wise person must explore with healthy
doses of skepticism. But the strange and
the fake does not invalidate those places that one can go with God if they are
willing to make the trip. God is incredible and is waiting for you to venture
out and discover so many wonderful spiritual experiences.
Here's
an idea: Rather than prejudging God and people
of faith as flakey, why not set out to explore God personally? Don't seek a religion or philosophy; seek a
relationship with the Creator. Find someone
who will give you a personal Bible study in your home or join a neighborhood
prayer group that will help you on your quest.
Who knows what exciting life experiences await you as you pursue
God. If you are sincere in your pursuit,
I can guarantee you will find your own incredible discoveries.
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