Pierre Teilard de Chardin

“But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand.”
1 Chronicles 29:14 (NIV)

Along my spiritual journey, I have found that there are some lessons that I learned in a moment while there are other lessons that have required my lifetime to learn.

As a young person, I confess that I wasn’t great with money. Looking back, I believe there were a number of reasons for my lack of financial wisdom and discipline. It took me many years and a few mandatory classes at the School of Hard Knocks for me to wise up. Some of the lessons I had to learn about money were financial, some were behavioral, and some were spiritual.

One of the spiritual lessons I had to learn is that there is nothing in this world that is truly mine. When Jesus said He was the “Alpha and Omega” I believe that there is more to the metaphor than simply meaning He was present at the beginning and will be present at the end. I believe that everything in creation flowed from Christ and eventually everything will flow back to Him. The priest philosopher Chardin wrote about the “Omega Point” in physics. It’s the notion that just as the universe expanded from a small point of matter in the Big Bang, it will eventually collapse back into itself.

In John’s version of the Jesus Story, he begins with an epic prologue about Christ in which he writes, “Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made.” In the book of Revelation, the same John is given a vision of heaven’s throne room. I have always found it interesting that as the multitudes praise Jesus they cry:

“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and praise!”
Revelation 5:12 (NIV) [emphasis added]

The Great Story presents Jesus as the Alpha Point. Everything comes from Him. It then presents Jesus as the Omega Point. Everything returns to Him. This brings me to the conclusion that nothing I have is mine. This includes my children and grandchildren who, like my finances, have been graciously given to me to steward. But, make no mistake, they belong to God. I’m simply a steward and a caretaker of all things in my dominion like the ones in Jesus’ parable of the talents. This, in turn, changes the way I think about everything I think I have or own. It’s taken me a lifetime to get here. I’m still learning.

In today’s final chapter of 1 Chronicles, David places Solomon on the throne, gives his personal treasures to the Temple building project, and encourages all the people of Israel to do the same. After the treasures are given to the construction project, David prays. As he prays he gives voice to this lesson it’s taken me a lifetime to learn.

“But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand.”

When I thought that everything was mine, I confess that I was Ebenezer Scrooge-like in my generosity. As I have embraced the spiritual reality that nothing is mine and I am God’s steward of everything have, it has fueled generosity. Once again, I think of Jesus’ parable of the talents. If it all belongs to Him then the real question is “How does He want me to invest it?”

In the quiet this morning, I find myself both grateful and convicted. I’m grateful for the lessons I’ve learned and to experience how far I’ve come from the days of fiscal foolishness and my utter lack of discipline with money. I know, however, that I’m not done learning. I’ve still got a lot to learn when it comes to stewarding all that I have been given.

The chapter-a-day journey continues tomorrow with the book of Romans!

If you know anyone who might be encouraged by today’s post, please share.

In a loud voice they were saying:
“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and praise!”
Revelation 5:12 (NIV)

A year or two ago, my friend shared with me a story about the 20th-century Jesuit priest, anthropologist, philosopher, and mystic Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. The story inspired me, and I ended up using it in a message a few weeks later. It also inspired me to learn a little more about de Chardin and his teachings. Later in his life, the philosopher-priest was silenced by the institutional church and ordered not to teach or publish anything. As an amateur historian, this always tells me that he must have been on to something true.

One of de Chardin’s most popular theories was that of the “Omega Point.” Just as He believed that the universe began as a tiny “Alpha Point” of matter that exploded into being with a big bang, he saw everything in the universe as connected, transforming, and flowing towards an “Omega Point” in which everything recedes back to that tiny point. His ideas not only inspired scientists and physicists but also artists and writers. Flannery O’Connor’s Everything that Rises Must Converge is a riff on Chardin.

For me, the inspiration led me to look with new eyes at the Great Story that God authors from Genesis to Revelation (the “alpha point” and “omega point”). The Great Story is clear that Jesus was the “alpha point” through which all things were created (Jhn 1:3) and it is He who “holds all things together” (Col 1:17).

In today’s chapter, John’s visit to the throne room of heaven continues. He sees a scroll that is sealed with seven seals. A call goes out in heaven asking who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll. No one is found worthy, which has John weeping with grief. Then “the lamb who was slain” (e.g. Jesus) is revealed who, because of His surrender and sacrifice, is worthy to open the scroll. A choir of innumerable angels then sings:

In a loud voice they were saying:
“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and praise!”

There are seven attributes that Jesus is worthy to “receive” according to the angel’s song. Seven is the number of “completeness” or “completion.” The number is used 55 times in Revelation. As I have read, pondered, and studied Revelation over the years, I was always a bit confused by the fact that “power” and “wealth” were included in this complete list of what Jesus is worthy to receive in the end.

Then I started considering what Chardin’s “omega point” was getting at in connection to who Jesus was, what Jesus taught, and who Jesus is revealed to be in today’s chapter.

Jesus is the beginning, the alpha point of Creation from Whom all things flow.

Jesus taught His followers not to treasure the power and wealth of this transient, created world because it doesn’t last, it isn’t eternal, and eventually…

Everything, including all the power and wealth in creation, along with everything in this universe will flow back to Jesus, the Creator, the Omega point, in the end.

In the quiet this morning, I find myself pondering the effect and consequence of my embracing this notion. It means that everything I have in this physical world is not really mine. It flows from the Alpha point and it will flow back to the Omega point. If this is true, then it transforms me from an owner of everything I have to a steward of everything I have. Suddenly I am a character in a very real version of Jesus’ parable of the talents, caring for and investing all that the Alpha and Omega has entrusted to me on this earthly journey. In this Light, I see my earthly journey in the context of an eternal reality that begins before the Great Story and will flow beyond its final chapters. I suddenly find that other things begin to make more sense.

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.

And so, I enter another day in the journey, echoing a heavenly chorus:

“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and praise!”

If you know anyone who might be encouraged by today’s post, please share.