I’m writing this during the COVID-19 crisis.  People are practicing social distancing, there’s no toilet paper to be had …. anywhere.   Stores and businesses are closing.  It feels like chaos.   Folks are losing their jobs, their retirement accounts, their peace of mind.  

In the Bible, Luke 19, Jesus weeps over Jerusalem and says,

“If only you could know what brings peace, but it is hidden from your eyes…. Because you did not recognize the time of god’s coming to you”

The back story here is that the Israelite nation was about to enter a period of destruction and chaos. Jerusalem was going to be destroyed and they would be overtaken by their enemies and “dashed to the ground.” 

Not a happy time. 

Not at peaceful time.

It feels a little like that right now with what’s going on with COVID 19.  Not happy.  Not peaceful.  

I get why Jesus might be talking about knowing what brings peace.  We all look for peace during chaotic times.  But why is Jesus talking about “the time of god’s coming to you?”

What could this mean?

We usually equate “god’s coming to us” with good things.  Beautiful events.  Moments of awe and wonder.  Victories.  Light and joy and all that good stuff.

Chaos is not disorder. Chaos is the totality of existence. You could call it God. You could use the term, the Tao. I like chaos. It means more to us in English. Chaos is all things, wild and wonderful, connected perfectly by the life force. Frederick Lenz

Could chaos also be god coming to us?

Could the chaos that occurs within a cell when it mutates and creates something novel be god coming to us?

Could the chaos in ecological systems that maintains the equilibrium of the planet be god coming to us?

Could the chaos in economic and political systems that correct imbalances of power be god coming to us?

Could god come to us through death and destruction?