Lyrics
I’ve filled my human mind so full
Of wise men’s philosophy
My wisdom gives me room to move
Authority to speak
But still I’m empty to the core
And I can’t sleep at night
Not thriving, I’m running and hiding
Instead of taking flight
No one really knows the truth
History shows
We’re programmed to create a God
To explain all we see
Where are the wise men?
Where are the scholars?
Where’s the philosopher of this age?
All things foolish
A God who’s there, a God who cares
A God who dwells inside of me
A God who knows, a God who chose
To reveal Himself in all we see
Who are we?
Surely we speak of things we don’t understand
Knowledge and Meaning
This song is written from the perspective of someone who is pursuing meaning and truth through knowledge. He defines himself through this pursuit. He possesses authority and the admiration of others. But, in private moments, he laments his inability to grasp the truth, the meaning behind his existence and the universe in general. He feels bound by his intellectual pursuits. As the song progresses, the words of the Apostle Paul come aggressively to the fore, questioning the ability of humans to learn truth through their own efforts. The song concludes with an assertion that the personal God of Truth who dwells inside His people has already revealed the truth of His presence through creation.
These lyrics arose from my observation (and personal experience) that great learning cannot bring absolution and solace. This is not a new idea. Solomon’s writings in Proverbs and Ecclesiastes are much more eloquent than my own. But the prevalent philosophy in our post-Enlightenment world is that humans are able to discover truth through their observation of the universe, with the implication that as technology allows us to observe more and more, we will become progressively more enlightened. Besides being utterly unable to bring us salvation, the empirical pursuit of knowledge, I believe, can potentially be idolatrous.
Whom Do I Worship?
Humans are programmed to worship. If I believe that God does not exist because I cannot observe Him, I am essentially stating that my own observational powers are sufficient to answer the ultimate question of human history. However, in a generous lifetime of 80 years, I will be able to encounter only a fraction of a percent of all human learning (or at least that which has survived in written records), which itself represents only the things humans have been able to observe. Also, human learning is mostly limited to the earth and its surrounding space, which represents one iota of one scintilla of all matter in the universe. In addition, we are physically unable to observe objects that exist on infinitely small or infinitely large scales, and we can be sure that our ability to accurately understand the physical makeup of our world is limited. My assertion that God does not exist would be a claim of omniscience, which I obviously do not possess. To state that I have proven God does not exist would be equal to worshiping my own mind. To state that I believe God does not exist would be no more “reasoned” than believing that He does.
And again, knowledge of God is not limited to the intellectual realm. The chorus in the second part of “All Things Foolish” describes the relational knowledge of the God who holds all things together and makes His home inside His people. He interacts with me. Knowledge cannot do that. Having grown up with a scientific, intellectually driven curiosity, my own belief in God was solidified not by reason but by relationship. God spoke to me, lifted me out of my sin, rescued me from judgment, and allowed me to live a life that is meaningful, satisfying, and eternal. His desire to relate to me was the lynchpin.
In the end, I have let go of the idea that I can fully understand God. His thoughts are unsearchable. As high as the heavens are above me, so much higher are His ways than mine. And I can rest in that.
--Aaron
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