Marvelous Disruption

Psalm 118:22 “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. The Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes.” After my sermon on Sunday, a brother from church called me and shared a word about how some serious changes were coming to society. I’ve been sensing the same. It feels like we’re at an inflection point in God’s arc of history. I’m not sure exactly what this entails, but I’ve been researching the history of nation states because some new models of governance emerging in the crypto world have piqued my curiosity. There is talk that DAOs (decentralized autonomous organizations that govern a given blockchain) may eventually disrupt governments. It’s interesting that the concept of a nation state is only a few hundred years old, and many credit its rise with the spread of literacy that came from the printing press. Once ideas could spread faster, institutions arose to educate people into a national identity, with a common culture and common language. It’s not a far cry to think that today’s printing presses, movements like the internet, blockchains and AI, could lead to new forms of governance and societal power. Rationally, I know that God always has a great future in store for his children. But I have to admit that part of me gets kind of scared when I think about all these changes that are in store. I like to think of myself as an outsider and an underdog, but the reality is that I, like probably everyone reading this post, have access to education, housing and three square meals a day. This by definition puts me (and the rest of us) in “the establishment.” The Pharisees played “the establishment” role of their day, and Jesus quoted Psalm 118 to them to convey that he had come to overturn their power structures. I never noticed the second part of this verse until today. “The Lord has done this, and it is marvellous in our eyes.” I feel like God is reminding me today that there is indeed change a-coming, but that I need not fear. If I release any pharisaic mindset, I can come into the marvelousness of His plan. Lord, thanks for reminding me that you are good, and so are your plans for me. I love you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.