God's Order

Almighty God, you alone can bring into order the unruly wills and affections of sinners: Grant your people grace to love what you command and desire what you promise; that, among the swift and varied changes of the world, our hearts may surely there be fixed where true joys are to be found; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (Fifth Sunday in Lent BCP 219)

Entropy is a scientific concept ranging throughout all varieties of scientific endeavor. Entropy describes the state of disorder in a system and its movement away from order. If left to themselves, many systems move towards greater disorder over time. Humans have this problem too. Without some guiding forces or values in our lives, our desires and wants can lead us into disorder, both personally and communally. If left unchecked, our increasing desires can lead us right down the path of entropy into sin.

Being in relationship with God gives us the values and guidance to order our lives, personally and communally. God alone can bring order to our desires and affections, as well as the vast array of the universe. When we put our trust and faith in God's working in our lives, we find ourselves able to find peace from the disorder of our world. As we head through this season of Lent towards Holy Week and the new life of Easter, we can meditate on the disorder of our own lives and the ways in which we can allow God to guide and fix our hearts. 

Take some time today to think about your own desires and affections. Do they follow Jesus' teachings or do they diverge and point you elsewhere? Pray, as in the Collect for this coming Sunday, that God may guide your heart and bring you the peace of knowing God's order and love.