I spend a lot of time in coffee shops spending more money than I should on expensive coffee. There was some movement in the recent past where coffee shops became the hip place for Christians to come talk about their faith. At least, this is true for Grand Rapids, MI. Every time I come to read or do some work I inevitably hear friends, colleagues, couples, or the women's bible study group from a local church near me discussing something of their faith. Today, it was two college students. The one was telling the other how God's providence works. That's not the word she used, but us theological types would call it that. She told her friend that "He (God) will put you right where you're supposed to be...He's not just going to leave you..." Then I heard her talk about grace with irrepressible exuberance. I appreciate the enthusiasm on one hand, but on the other, the way the words mixed with her excitement, grace seemed to be synonymous to magic.
This bothered me. But then I wondered, is grace supposed to be magical? Depending upon one's definition of grace, it might. I suppose even the definition of grace I use could sound magical. Blessing that comes from God unbidden and unearned. But, what happens when grace becomes too much like magic that we assume God to be our private personal magician? What do we think of our magician when tragedy strikes? Certainly all goodness does not stop when tragedy strikes. But too often magical grace is used to whitewash devastating grief, terrible suffering, and unspeakable pain. What do we do with tragedy when God was supposed to put us and everyone we loved exactly where we were supposed to be? What exactly does this include? If we say everything, what about degenerative diseases, car accidents, and suicide? Where is God in these places?
These certainly make discussions about providential placement more difficult. Some would shrug their shoulders, and particularly us good Midwesterners might say, well life isn't fair, leaving God out of it entirely. Some would retreat and say, well, God can't control EVERYthing.
I guess what really concerns me at the moment is not the theodicy problem - the problem of God's justice. My concern here is the reality that many Christians (even good liberals) often attribute magical powers to God in some way or another. We all can take an intellectual step back and refute our own magical beliefs, but most of us in a moment of fervor, anxiety, or desperation can believe there are some things God just does. Some things God just blesses, ordains, or somehow makes "better".
I believe magic is when something is made out of nothing. God doesn't make something out of nothing. Not even the miracle stories are magic. The feeding of the five thousand is not a story of mountains of bread and fish appearing with a wave of Jesus' hand. There was simply enough in the passing of the baskets. It was only after they had had their fill that those gathered realized what had happened. Jesus simply declared it was enough. Jesus never said, "Let there be bread." "Let there be fish." Simply, "it is enough." No magic required.
Whatever we believe, let us each be leery of making God a magician, particularly our magician. There are things we do not understand. Amazing things. Tragic things. No matter how desperate we are to understand, we do not need magic. Grace is enough. Grace that comes unbidden and unearned. Grace is that sliver of hope that is visible through the darkness. Wherever we are, God is there, too. When our hearts break, God's heart breaks, too. There are times we unfortunately do not feel this, but that does not make it less true. Surmising God's intentions will not provide better understanding or heal our hearts faster. We do not need magic. Sometimes the only thing to do is take one step and remember God is there. Then another step. God is there. Then another. God is there. Then another...God?
...still there.
God, we don't need all the answers. We do not need magic. No matter how much we beg. Just remind us of your presence. Remind us we are not alone. And, may that somehow be enough. Amen
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