The Scientist

“The Scientist” was a homily preached at Lawrence Road Presbyterian Church on Sunday, December 6, 2015. Three other preachers in addition to myself shared their own unique interpretations on the same text: Malachi 3:1-4. Inspirations for this short message included scripture, depression & suicide, current events, and science.

—————————————

Malachi 3:1-4

1 See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight—indeed, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. 2 But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears?

For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap; 3 he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the Lord in righteousness. 4 Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years.

—————————————

One hundred miles below the surface, specifically anywhere from 87 to 118 miles below the surface, in the second of the earth’s four layers, diamonds are formed. One hundred miles straight down, diamonds are formed. It’s impossible for humankind to dig that deep. Scientists can barely even get to ten miles below the earth’s surface. One hundred miles straight down where it’s impossible to get to, diamonds are formed. There it is overwhelmingly hot and pressurized. Due to this extreme pressure and heat, carbon atoms – the same element found in all of life – begin to bond and react with one another. It’s a rare type on bonding where five carbon atoms from a very strong covalent bond with each other. It’s a slow process; a process that stops more easily than it begins. Scientists still haven’t been able to name how long this process takes in the natural world, but even the smallest of diamonds have been dated over one billion years old. This special type of carbon covalent bond is why diamonds, although pretty, are surprisingly among one of the hardest materials known to humankind. As these bonds are being formed, the carbon atoms begin to crystallize. Over time they will attach themselves with other carbon covalent bonds until they lock into a structure that eventually grows into a crystal that is large enough for us to see. This is the diamond as we know it. Each crystal – each diamond – each carat of diamond – represents literally billions and billions of carbon atoms that had all to lock perfectly into place to form this very orderly crystalline structure. Since it’s impossible to get to the location of the earth where diamonds are formed, we have to wait until these precious gems come to us. This can take another billion years. A billion years to be formed and a billion years to be exposed at a service... It doesn’t seem worth it. It doesn’t seem worth the time it takes. It doesn’t seem worth the heat it must endure. It doesn’t seem worth the pressure it must experience. It just doesn’t seem worth it… until you see a diamond. It catches the sun; it flashes back at you. For a moment, a light dances within the diamond, beautifully cut and crafted, and you know, it was worth it. It has always been worth it.

You are God’s diamond. Individually cut and crafted. More precious than any gem ever formed. More precious than any amount of silver or gold. You are the most precious thing God has ever made. You will face pressures. You will experience heat. You will be continuously refined for all of your days, and it will seem unbearable. But someday it will all be useful to you. Someday the pressure and the heat – the pain – will be useful to you. It’ll create something within you. You’ll get a tougher skin; your heart will be hardened. But this pressure and heat – the pain of all you must endure – will create a transformation where Christ will be your catalyst. It will make you beautiful. More compassionate; more knowledgeable. It will give you even more of a reason to be loved.  Yes, you are God’s diamond. Fearfully and wonderfully made. You will be lifted up on eagle’s wings. You will be given the breath of dawn. You will be made to shine like the sun. You are the most precious thing ever made, and God will hold you in God’s palm.  Not just for all of your days, but for all of God’s days. From the beginning to the end. Yes, you are God’s diamond. You are worth it. You have always been worth it.

Christ is coming to us. Like the diamonds of the earth, Christ will come to us.  We will wait. Are you ready? Have you been tested? Have you been cleansed? Have you been made uncomfortable? Have you been refined? Yes! Yes, you have! You have been refined! "For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap; he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver." Through the love and grace of Christ, you have been purified! Transformed! You have been made pleasing to the Lord! You are God’s diamond! So precious and loved! Even more divine, Christ is our diamond. His coming will be worth the wait. His coming will be worth the pressure. His coming will be worth the heat. His coming will be worth the pain. Christ is our diamond. Christ will be worth it. Christ has always been worth it. Christ is coming.

It has been worth it. It will always be worth it because you are worth it. Worth it to me; worth it to the people around you; and above all else, worth it to our Heavenly Creator. You are worth it to God the Father. You are worth it to God the Son. You are worth it to God the Holy and Everlasting Spirit. You are worth it. You are God’s diamond.           Amen.

—————————————