Page 32 - Dainfern Precinct Living Issue 11_2023

Food for Thought

TRUSTING THE UNCREATED

B Y PETER S T OFFBERG

ave you ever found yourself flat on your
back, being wheeled along a cold, brightly
lit corridor, shielded only by a few woefully
Hinadequate items of clothing? Your short,
gown-like garment (that cannot and will not close at
the back no matter what you try) is complemented
by two slightly transparent objects – a shower-cap-
like-thing on your head, and something curiously
similar, but with two extra holes, masquerading as
your underwear.
This is no fun at all. Add to it the anxiety of knowing
that complete strangers are about to perform a
painful and intrusive procedure on your unconscious
body, and you have what some may rightfully refer to
as a nightmare.

Then there’s the anaesthetic, and it presents its
own dilemma. Is it a merciful release from the
trauma of the operating theatre, or a frightening
relinquishment of any last semblance of control?
Whatever it is, there’s something deeply problematic
with it.
We really aren’t sure how it works. There are some
competing theories, but the complexity of the
drug combinations that numb our pain, blank our
minds and paralyse our bodies, have been poorly ON SITE SUNDAY SERVICES @ 9h30
understood since the first time we discovered that www.familychurch.online
breathing Ether fumes knocks us out. We humans, DAINFERN COLLEGE AUDITORIUM
anaesthetists and patients, trust it without being
able to explain it.
was made. (John 1:1-3 ESV).
As disturbing as this is, I’m grateful to be spared
the conscious experience of the sights, sounds and If nothing that has been created, was created
painful sensations of my surgery, and especially without Jesus
grateful for a deeper assurance which can’t be found (here called the Word), and Jesus surely didn’t create
in any medical text book explanations. Himself, then Jesus, like God the Father and the Holy
Spirit, is uncreated, eternal and the creator of all
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was things.
with God, and the Word was God. He was in the
beginning with God. All things were made through This isn’t easy to comprehend or explain, but it still
Him, and without Him was not anything made that brings a deep assurance that has carried many of
us through surgery and far worse. Our trust is in
someone who knows how everything works, because
through Him, everything was created. There is
someone who is in control of everything and He is
never taken by surprise.
There is someone of this power, magnitude
and wisdom who chose to become human and
experience suffering in a body like ours. Someone
who loves us so much that He gave His life for
ours, and then rose from the dead. Jesus may be
difficult to completely comprehend or explain, but
why should that stop us from trusting Him? How
wonderful and complex He is.

6 DPL issue 2 2023

8 DPL issue 11 2022
6 DPL issue 10 2022
8 DPL issue 5 2022
32 DPL issue 11 2023